Okay so let's say after all your hard work, you've finally found the right place. The battle has not yet been won, because now you've got to get the money together to pay the move-in costs. Landlords can legally charge two months security deposit in addition to the first month's rent. With the average studio being $1000 per month, that could be as high as $3,000. It's awfully hard to save that kind of money when you earn the kind of money we earn.

We can help supplement your savings for move-in costs thru our collaboration with Season of Sharing and the AIDS Emergency Fund. We also have a couple of tricks up our sleeve with a deposit program of our own. By layering these all together, we can help get you to the promised land, a place of your own.

Brian's mantra: Save darlings, save. Even if it's $5 per month, we can all put something aside.

You never know when you're going to be strung up and need a cushion. I always use the example of a member who was living in the home of the person he was caring for. The person passed away and the family did what they were supposed to do and secured the man's estate, leaving our member without a place to live with no warning. He had enough money to pay for a transient hotel for two weeks, yet his next disability check wasn't going to come for 3 weeks. He had used up his AIDS Emergency Fund and so became homeless over what really amounted to $100. We're all tough people. We've survived AIDS this long, so we can take sleeping in the cold rain for a few nights. Who needs dignity, right? The harder part was that he lost all of his stuff because he didn't have anywhere to put it. His important papers, TV, radio, all of his clothes.  He lost everything over  $100. Don't let this happen to you. Save today for that rainy day.