"It's nice to leave work and have a place to go home to."
Jay and Cathy lived and worked at a motel until a change in ownership left them unemployed and homeless. Although they eventually found new jobs, they were unable to afford shelter. VSH's Housing Resource Center assisted them in renting their first apartment in many years.

RESIDENCES

Permanent Housing Residences
Stratford House

Stratford House

Lack of affordable housing is a critical problem facing a growing number of people living with HIV/AIDS. Efforts to build HIV/AIDS housing often encounter chronic funding shortfalls, bureaucratic indifference, and the stigma and fear of AIDS. Projects to create HIV/AIDS housing may fail because of local opposition by neighborhood or community groups.

Since 1998, Virginia Supportive Housing (VSH) has been providing HIV positive citizens of the Richmond Metropolitan Area with permanent housing and comprehensive support services. Stratford House provides quality affordable housing for eight single adults. Tenants pay 30% of their income with a minimum of $50 per month. The remaining rent is subsidized by the U. S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and Section 811 Program.

Stratford House offers opportunities for people living with HIV/AIDS and battling substance abuse to enhance their quality of life. The program is an alcohol and drug free residence and engages tenants with programming that challenges them to set goals by providing the support needed to achieve them. Through collaboration with local agencies, tenants participate in substance abuse treatment, mental health counseling, medication adherence, independent skill building, and education. For more information on the support services offered, click here.