Why do I believe so strongly in homeownership for people with HIV/AIDS? Because it represents the ultimate safe harbor for us.  Almost every single one of us harbors the secret fear of getting sick again and losing our housing.  We harbor this fear for good reason. Over 25% of all speculative TIC/condo evictions are targeting people with AIDS. They really are coming after us. We need the peace of mind that homeownership brings.

Homeownership offers a tangible goal to bring us back a sense of our future. There are concrete steps we can take to help prepare ourselves for homeownership.This provides a framework for measurable success along the way. We can congratulate ourselves when our credit scores go up, when we reach savings goals, etc. When you've been stuck in the spider's web of the safety net for over a decade, having an easy-to-follow map of the way out is an important tool.

For many of us, contemplating returning to work is a big step, full of risks and rewards. Playing out the scenarios in our heads is scary. What if I return to work and get sick again, what will happen to my health insurance?  Can my body take returning to work? Will I get fired if I can't perform? Who would want me, I've been out of the work force for 10 years? We can get lost in the anxieties if we do not possess a firm image in our minds of why we want to go back to work. The potential for homeownership is a great positive image of hope that can serve as an anchor and a beacon during those times of anxiety.

I know that I'm way ahead of the curve in advocating for homeownership for people with HIV/AIDS. The AIDS establishment ain't there yet, but hopefully we'll be able to bring them along. I'm used to being outside the mainstream of thought, and in the forefront of building movements.  I was outside the mainstream back in 1983 when I helped co-found the Dallas Gay and Lesbian Youth Alliance. Who had ever heard of a peer-based queer youth organization, in TEXAS? I was outside of the power establishment when I helped co-found the Freedom to Marry Task Force of Northern California back in 1995. Boy did I go round with Elizabeth Birch et al at the Human Rights Campaign over that. They thought that they owned the queer liberation movement and didn't like our little grassroots campaign. We were on the forefront of thought back in 1992 when I was the first employee at Positive Resource Center, and I'm still trying to get the AIDS organizations to create jobs for disabled PWAs -- 13 years later.

I know it's my nature to instigate new things. I know that some people might not like the idea of new ideas. I also know that those people eventually get on board once they see which way the tide is moving. When I look back at my history, I see that the one pattern in all of the varied things I associate myself with is that I get in early in ideas that quickly become big national movements.

An important message: We believe in Socially Responsible Homeownership. We do not ever support taking the roof away from someone else in support of one's goals for homeownership. We strongly encourage other agencies in our community who do preach such behaviour to consider socially responsible homeownership. I already believe what you are doing is wrong, however, if your organization assists someone purchase an investment property and they evict one of my members, we're going to have a problem with the way you conduct your program that will need to be addressed.