HUD Threatens to Cut Washington D.C.'s HIV/AIDS Funding

Federal officials warn Washington D.C. Mayor Adrian Fenty they may cut off more than $12 million in funding for the District of Columbia's HIV/AIDS program. This would be the first time in the Dept. of Housing and Urban Development's AIDS housing program's 18-year history that money would be withheld from a city based on "poor performance", reports the Washington Post.

"Assistant Secretary Mercedes M. Márquez said HUD will send a letter to the city this week stipulating that no new AIDS housing money will be awarded unless the D.C. Department of Health's HIV/AIDS Administration improves its tracking of services and spending. Márquez also wrote last week to D.C. Mayor Adrian M. Fenty (D), saying she was "deeply concerned" about a recent Washington Post series that found the HIV/AIDS Administration had paid more than $25 million to nonprofit groups that delivered substandard care or failed to account for their work."

HUD officials say getting financial records from the District government is "like pulling teeth, reports City Paper.

In recent years, the District's HIV/AIDS Office has been criticized for not filling key management posts and lacking a strategic plan to counter DC's soaring seroconversion rates. At least 3 percent of Washington D.C. residents have either HIV or AIDS. The District of Columbia's HIV rate is the highest in the country and "higher than West Africa and on par with Uganda and some parts of Kenya." Black gay men continue to be most affected by DC's HIV/AIDS crisis.

Comments

[Ravenback]

This cannot be taken lightly. If DC is mismanaging AIDS funding, then this is a serious indictment against the mayor and the rest of DC. Get your act together and take care of business. What is Mayor Fenty doing to improve AIDS services and accountability?

[Luther]

This is tough one for me, but, if that the money isn't being spent properly and if its not, maybe this will scare them into doing what they should be doing.

[CC]

DC better get it together!!

[Honut SInti]

This is a travesty. DC needs to correct this problem. Thank you Rod for posting this story.

[manchild]

yeah ,hurt the people the money
is meant to help,why not announce
that Hud is going to start
banging legally some of the thief's
now thats doing something. There
was a big case where a nonprofit
stole millions and Fenty and the
city council knew it...the non
profits bosses were connected felons....its really time for Hud to start inhousing its grants,so
that they can be better overseen.
Not cancelling the funding,which
hurts the clients/Hiv people...
stupid fuks.

[soulbrotha]

I agree with manchild. Why are they punishing the recipients of the services? If 3% of DC has HIV/AIDS, what do they think the numbers are gonna be when they cut $12 mil? Go after the corruption, not the money. Get the Feds on it.

[Princetony]

This should applied to all major city whom is receiving funding for HUD HIV/AIDS. Taking money from sick people and making them live in nasty condition, Not acceptable in my book. Landlord charging 3x of rent even worse. Wake Up people. Our tax money is being wasted. If we don't speak up and have our say, What the use of having a consitution and we don't exercise it.

[Vernon Getzler]

This should applied to all educatee municipality whom is receiving finance for HUD HIV/AIDS. Action money from sick grouping and making them smoldering in difficult status, Not acceptable in my collection. Landlord charging 3x of rent plane worse. Consequence Up group. Our tax money is existence wasted. If we don't communicate up and eff our say, What the use of having a consitution and we don't grooming it.

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vernon getzler
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