Section 8 housing for families living with HIV/AIDS

JRI Health received 98 new vouchers for Section 8 housing to be given to individuals or families with a person who is disabled due to HIV/AIDS. The vouchers will allow low-income households to rent apartments at greatly reduced rents, and Sue Buoncuore, director of JRI's assisted living program, said the vouchers will provide clients who are either homeless or living in overcrowded or dangerous situations access to affordable housing.

Buoncuore said about a month ago JRI met with the state's Department of Health and Community Development, which funds Section 8 housing in Massachusetts, and the department agreed to reinstate JRI's Section 8 housing program. For the past several years, as a result of budget cuts, Buoncuore said the state was not issuing new Section 8 vouchers.

"They have decided to open up our program again and given us 98 Section 8 subsidies, which will be spread throughout the state of Massachusetts," said Buoncuore.

While the vouchers will help provide housing opportunities to 98 individuals and families, it does not come close to meeting the demand for the housing. Buoncuore said the wait list for Section 8 housing through JRI includes about 500 people or families. All told, JRI's various housing programs, which include Section 8 housing and residential programs, house about 550 people or families living with HIV/AIDS.