The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Marcia Fudge visited with Gregory House Programs staff and program participants on Sunday, July 2, 2023 in upper Makiki at one of our transitional housing (TH) sites to learn more about the important services Gregory House Programs provides. Secretary Fudge was invited to visit Hawaii by U.S. Senator Brian Schatz. U.S. Senator Brian Schatz, Congresswoman Jill Tokuda, and Congressman Ed Case and several HUD officials joined Secretary Fudge on the visit.
Gregory House Programs is the only Statewide HIV/AIDS housing agency in Hawaii, providing rental subsidies across the islands, and operates the only two transitional housing sites in Hawaii for people living with HIV (PLWH). Established in 1988, Gregory House Programs provides housing assistance, food and nutrition, and comprehensive case management services to more than 400 households each year. “Housing is healthcare,” stressed Jonathon Berliner, the Executive Director. “With housing and food security, persons living with HIV or AIDS can focus on accessing continuous medical care and HIV treatment, which are important in improving health outcomes and reducing new HIV infections.”
U.S. Senator Brian Schatz, chairman of the Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing and Urban Development, secured a FY ’23 Congressional Earmark of $1.2 million for Gregory House Programs. This funding is earmarked for renovating Community Residential Programs, a transitional housing program that houses people living with HIV/AIDS who are transitioning out of homelessness. These funds are being administrated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). The Hawaii State Legislature, in its 2023 legislative session, approved a Grant-In-Aid (GIA) in the amount of $300,000 for of the Community Residential Program renovation project.