CHICAGO – On Monday evening, January 27, AIDS Foundation Chicago (AFC) and other agencies across Illinois and the nation were blocked without notice from accessing federal housing funding that pays for rents and services for people living with HIV and who have experienced homelessness. The Trump administration has frozen all federal grants, a freeze that poses an immediate and dire threat to vital services for people living with HIV and previous experience of homelessness, including over 8,000 people a year served by AFC.
UPDATE: As of around 12 noon on January 29, the Trump administration rescinded the memo ordering the broad freeze. We are thankful to the nearly 500 advocates who took action through our campaign to contact elected officials and urge them to oppose the freeze. However, harmful Executive Orders from the Trump Administration that justified the freeze remain in effect. While AFC and other agencies are now able to access federal funding, and we celebrate this as a win, we know this will not be the last attempt by the Trump administration to cut funding that supports vital services for our communities, and we know there are many more fights to come. Text AFC to 40649 to subscribe to text alerts so you can take action when the next need arises.
AFC provides housing to over 1,300 households, including over 1,000 people living with HIV. In addition, AFC provides case management to over 6,000 people a year living with HIV to connect them to services, including life-saving HIV medications, medical care, housing, mental health and substance use treatment.
We ask you to stand with us and urge your members of Congress to fight this unconstitutional power grab through our campaign here.
“AFC will do everything in our power to stand up to these bullying tactics,” said John Peller, President & CEO. “Our February rent payments have already gone to landlords, but AFC pays over $1 million a month in rents for clients. Without access to promised reimbursement from our federal funders, we cannot afford to pay rents for long.”
“This order is likely illegal and is sure to be challenged in court,” continued Peller. “The president cannot unilaterally suspend programs or funding that Congress has enacted. This is another attempt by Donald Trump and his allies to distract us while he works on his true aim – dismantling federal programs like Medicaid that provide life-saving health services for people who are poor, living with chronic health conditions, children and seniors in order to provide tax cuts for the ultra rich.”
Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) and the Ryan White program are essential federally funded public health program for people living with HIV. These programs provide access to lifesaving services including housing and case management that enable people living with HIV to remain connected to care, which allows them to live long, healthy lives, and reduces transmission of HIV. Without access to care and HIV medications, people living with HIV will see their viral load spike, leading to hospitalizations and serious health conditions. People with HIV with uncontrolled viral loads are more likely to transmit HIV to their sex partners, leading to an increase in HIV cases in the community. Without HOPWA and the Ryan White program, people will lose their homes, and hospitals and crisis systems will see increased strain and incur greater costs as people become forced to rely on emergency medical services. This funding is not only critical to ensuring the health and safety of people living with HIV, but contributes to the health and safety of our wider community.
Beyond the impact to people living with and vulnerable to HIV, President Trump’s freeze usurps Congress’ constitutional power of the purse, and stands to hurt all districts, Republican and Democratic alike. All members of Congress must stand up and protect our communities from irreparable harm.
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