A new home for people living with HIV and AIDS is preparing to open its doors in the Barrio Logan/Sherman Heights community. Richard’s Place has been entirely funded by the Bethel African Methodist Episcopal (AME) Church and is named after the church’s founder, Richard Allen. It is being managed by Executive Director Charles Williams. The goal of the home is to provide permanent, affordable, safe and clean housing to people infected with HIV and AIDS.

The idea for the home came from Bethel AME Senior Pastor C. Dennis Williams while he was working on his doctoral thesis on HIV and AIDS in the African-American community.

“My getting involved came in through the ministry and sitting down and talking to my Pastor,” Williams told the Gay and Lesbian Times. “Being affected, being a consumer with HIV and AIDS, it was just something that I was driven to do.”

Richard’s Place will initially sleep six, with a goal of eventually being able to accommodate nine, but because of county permit processes it is necessary to start with small numbers. All residents will be required to provide proof of their HIV status and will need income to cover the $450 monthly rent. They must also be working with an HIV case manager to oversee their care. Williams will staff the home during the day and there will be a night manager on the premises in the evenings.

While Richard’s Place will target the growing African-American community affected by HIV and AIDS, Williams said, “It’s in this neighborhood, but it’s for anyone that we can service.”

The privately funded home comes as a silver lining as the County struggles with cutting funds to service providers working with the HIV and AIDS community because of the current state’s budget crisis.

“There’s already a housing shortage,” Williams said. “But in terms of being homeless and HIV-positive it’s very important because a lot of places are not HIV-friendly. They don’t mind, they’ll let you in, but a lot of people are paranoid about being around people with HIV.”

Eventually, Richard’s Place also plans to provide services including individual and peer counseling, transitional living and a meal program.

“As a vision for Richard’s Place, we want to try to help a person get out of where they are and expose them to a much better life and introduce them to Christ in the process,” added Williams, who also works with the church’s Grace Ministries, which does outreach to the HIV and AIDS population. “It’s not necessary that they be introduced to Christ, but let them see that Christians are also willing, ready and able to do what they think Christians ought to do and be those people of support that they think they should be rather than those people who are constantly talking about them because they think it’s a sin.”

Williams added that, as a gay man who is living with AIDS, it’s an important bridge to build because the African-American community is so closely tied to its churches, and issues related to HIV and AIDS have often been difficult to discuss.

“We are trying to make inroads into the black church,” Williams said. “At least have a dialog with the black church and make a statement about HIV and AIDS that is ongoing. And through education and biblical teachings, hopefully we can have a happy medium and everybody will be comfortable in one place.”

The Bethel AME Memorial Church will host a grand blessing of Richard’s Place following their 11:00 a.m. service this Sunday, Aug. 31. The blessing, which will be performed by Senior Pastor C. Dennis Williams, will be held at Richard’s Place, located at 3104 L. Street. A grand opening is scheduled for Saturday, Sept. 6, at 10:00 a.m.