19E - CONSOLIDATED ANNUAL PERFO - Laserfiche WebLink

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C. BARRIERS OR TRENDS OVERVIEW 1. BARRIERS ENCOUNTERED: As previously reported, to better evaluate the needs and barriers faced by the community to address the needs of persons living with HIV /AIDS, the City of Santa Ana commissioned the preparation of a housing study. The HIV /AIDS Housing Study was completed in December 1999 and was updated in 2001. (An update is planned for the 2004 -2005 program year.) In subsequent years, the HIV Planning Council has utilized this study as the basis for identifying barriers to serving people with HIV /AIDS and also for prioritizing needs. In addition to this annual process, service providers prepare quarterly reports on program activities that provide information regarding barriers they have encountered in delivering HOPWA- funded services. These barriers are identified below: ■ There is a lack of affordable housing in Orange County that limits an individual's ability to find and maintain safe, appropriate and stable housing without moving outside one's home community. The lack of affordable housing is compounded for persons living with HIV /AIDS because their health affects their ability to work, pay rent, search for housing, and pay medical bills. ■ There remain barriers to developing HIV /AIDS housing primarily due to a lack of land and a steady increase in property costs throughout the region. ■ There are gaps within the continuum of care for persons living with HIV /AIDS including a lack of emergency shelter, transitional housing, permanent housing, and supportive services. ■ There is an increasing diverse population of persons living with HIV /AIDS, which places additional demands on the limited resources dedicated to persons with HIV /AIDS. ■ Lack of services for undocumented (illegal immigrate) HIV /AIDS population. In response to these barriers the HIV /AIDS Planning Council outlined a series of recommendations to address these barriers. These recommendations include: ■ The HIV Planning Council of Orange County should take proactive steps to explore solutions, build consensus and formulate recommendations to expand housing opportunities for persons living with HIV /AIDS. In response, the AIDS Services Foundation of Orange County established a Housing Department and has assigned key staff to assist with housing placement and advocacy services. ■ Orange County's Housing Authorities were asked to absorb a designated and mutually agreed upon number of HOPWA- funded TBRA clients into respective Section 8 programs. Two Housing Authorities gave tentative approval to this concept but formal action is still needed. 45 19E-48 9/9 /04