Jim Puccetti, the executive director of Townspeople, died in his home on Wednesday, Oct. 15, at the age of 65. Puccetti, who was winning a battle with prostate cancer, was diagnosed with brain cancer in late August.

Puccetti had been the executive director at Townspeople since 1997, coming to the organization with an extensive background in non-profit work that spanned four decades. Among the talents he brought to the organization were his expertise in program management, grant administration, proposal funding and public relations.

Interim Executive Director Greg Curran added that Puccetti’s involvement was key in the growth of the organization, “particularly in the area of credibility, accountability and financial security, Jim is the one who brought Townspeople to that point.”

Founded in 1984, Townspeople was originally a group of philanthropists who raised money to provide housing for the poor. With the onset of the AIDS crisis the organization formally changed its mission in 1994 to focus on people living with HIV/AIDS. Now Townspeople assists homeless, at-risk individuals and those living with HIV/AIDS in finding affordable housing.

Juana Castro, a member of the Townspeople board of directors, first met Puccetti while working with his wife in a real-estate office, and knew him for over 20 years.

“When he joined Townspeople I was so impressed with who Jim was, he inspired me to volunteer and join their board and I was on it for over four and a half years,” Castro said, adding that it was during her years on the board that she got to know Puccetti best. “I have and had a tremendous amount of respect for him, and he was so passionate about the mission of helping anyone with AIDS to have housing. It seemed so right to me. At first I was just a financial donor and then I was so impressed by his sincerity and the purity of the organization that I joined and helped out too.”

In an interview with the Gay and Lesbian Times in August, Puccetti estimated the number of people served by Townspeople in the last year at over 10,000 people, which included requests for information and services from men, women with children, the disabled and those living with HIV/AIDS, that were received through office visits, by phone, fax or e-mail.

“He was a very skilled individual and he had a lot of gifts.” Castor said. “He had a gift of writing grants, a gift of just having the kindness to help people who were less fortunate. He just was very good at tasks and accomplished a lot for a staff of just one and a half. Literally, he was the glue that held it all together.”

While he spent the last years of his life dedicated to helping people living with HIV/AIDS find fair and affordable housing, Puccetti’s history of humanitarian work dates back 40 years. Puccetti was present in 1960 when John F. Kennedy announced his intention to form the Peace Corps, and was one of the first to sign up and volunteer his time. He continued doing humanitarian work in the years that followed through Project Concern and CARE.

“He was just that type of person,” Curran said. “I don’t know if you’re born like that or if it’s genetic or what, but he just had a really great sense of justice and fairness. He was a compassionate person.”

Puccetti had planned to retire from Townspeople this coming January, and the board of directors had already begun the search process for a new executive director. With Puccetti’s sudden passing the board will be stepping up the process to choose his predecessor.

“It’s going to be a tremendous void,” Castro admitted candidly. “I haven’t even begun to think that far because, naively, I kept thinking he was going to be okay.”

Until the board of directors selects a new executive director, Curran will continue to run the organization. The Townspeople offices are located at 3969 Park Blvd., suite B, where they provide biweekly affordable rental listings, bed availability at local group homes and publish a “Finding Affordable Housing Manual” and a “Landlord Resource Guide.” A memorial is scheduled for Saturday, Oct. 25, at 1:00 p.m. at the Ascension Catholic Parish, located at 11292 Claremont Mesa Blvd. In lieu of flowers, donations to Townspeople are suggested.

For more information on Townspeople, contact them at (619) 295-8802.