Local nonprofit Townspeople, which provides low-cost housing and housing resources to homeless and low-income people living with HIV/AIDS in San Diego, is celebrating its 25th anniversary at the Prado ballroom at Balboa Park, on Friday, Sept. 25.

“For the 25 of the 28 years since the world first heard of AIDS, Townspeople has been working quietly and effectively to help our brothers and sisters sustain their life,” said Townspeople Executive Director Jon Derryberry. “We want to celebrate this achievement.”

About 13,000 to 16,000 people contact the organization each year through walk-ins, phone calls and visits to its Web site, said Townspeople Housing Specialist Sarah Hanson, adding that 75 to 80 percent of its clients are GLBT.

Most of them are low-income people living with HIV/AIDS who struggle to access and/or maintain stable, clean and affordable housing, she said.

“Often times they are stressed with just trying to handle their medical care and mental health issues,” Derryberry said. “They’ve lost jobs and have not been able to generate sufficient income, even to meet some of the things that, you know, we take for granted, like rent deposit, first-month’s rent, security deposit, transportation to find a location and, then, who will rent to them?”

People living with HIV/AIDS are also affected by San Diego’s housing situation.

“Housing is very expensive in San Diego, and even in the down market, it’s still expensive,” Derryberry said.

“Say you are disabled and your Medicare or Social Security Insurance entitlement is $900 and you can’t find an apartment cheaper than $750. There isn’t going to be much money left for you to survive on,” he said.

There are about 500 homeless people living with HIV/AIDS in San Diego, said Hanson.

In addition to its information and referral services, Townspeople manages two housing complexes for low-income and/or previously homeless people living with HIV/AIDS: an eight- unit and a 24-unit complex, both in City Heights.

Nine hundred people are currently waiting to get into either of the two complexes, Hanson said, adding that the organization is planning to create 500 more rental units in the next 10 years.

Residents at the two complexes, 90 percent of whom were previously homeless, receive case management and various types of resources and services, said Townspeople Director of Housing Juanita Villalvazo. Residents pay rent only if they have a source of income, and government funding helps the organization pay for those who cannot afford to pay rent, she said.

The people who live at the two properties are a diverse group, Villalvazo said.

“We have women, African American, Asian, you name it,” she said.

Ramon Sandoval, 42, gay, is one such resident.

Sandoval moved to San Diego from Tijuana after being diagnosed with HIV in 2001.

Once in San Diego, everything seemed to be working out for him: nice home, good job. That is, until he started having chronic respiratory problems. It got so bad that Sandoval lost his job and, eventually, his housing. He spent the next six months “couch surfing,” living temporarily with various friends and sleeping in their living rooms.

“I was staying with friends. It was frustrating, and it was hard,” said Sandoval, who subsequently heard about Townspeople through a case manager.

William Anderson*, 37, straight, married with two kids, and breadwinner of his family, was spending time with his family this past Easter Sunday when he collapsed. His wife called 911.

At the hospital, Anderson was diagnosed with AIDS – his T-cell count was 11.

He spent a month in the hospital. During that time, Anderson lost his job and his family became homeless.

Through a case manager at North Park Family Health Center, Anderson got in touch with Townspeople.

The organization helped Anderson and Sandoval find affordable housing.

Sandoval applied and was accepted into one of Townspeople’s apartment complexes, where he’s been for almost two years.

“It’s been the most stable period of my life in terms of housing and social support,” Sandoval said. “They provide us with a financial literacy class. They’ve invited nutritionists from UCSD that gave a talk on nutrition. We’ve been working on art.”

Similarly, Townspeople helped Anderson and his family access emergency housing, but they have to be out by the end of this month. In the meantime, the organization is working with Anderson to find more permanent housing for the family.

“They’ve been helpful in every step of the way,” Anderson said. “I now have a string of appointments and in-take interviews [for housing] over the course of next week.”

For more information about Townspeople contact, 619-295-8802 or visit www.townspeople.org.

*Pseudonym