West Virginia gets $1 million for AIDS housing

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development has renewed a $1 million grant to provide affordable housing for HIV-positive West Virginians. The West Virginia Office of Economic Opportunity was one of 22 agencies nationwide to receive a grant through HUD's Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS Program. Working with the office are the Charleston-based West Virginia Coalition for People with HIV/AIDS and Covenant House; Caritas House in Morgantown; and Community Networks in Martinsburg. Over the next three years the money will assist 1,400 West Virginians with housing, counseling, and other services, a state official said. "Staying healthy is a full-time job for persons with HIV/AIDS," said HUD secretary Alphonso Jackson. "Working closely with our local partners, we can help offer a stable home and needed services to thousands of our most vulnerable neighbors." (AP)