Good practice issues

Local authorities and other housing providers should be sensitive to the needs of people with HIV/AIDS and the issues which surround the provision of services to them.

However, for a local authority to consider a client's HIV status, this would involve the disclosure of the client's status to the authority. Clients should therefore be aware of possible problems regarding confidentiality.

The needs and issues that local authorities and other housing providers should consider include:

• access to housing and the speed of providing it

• suitable temporary accommodation to be used for as short a time as possible

• permanent accommodation which is suitable for the needs and wishes of people with HIV/AIDS

• a quick and sensitive response to changing property needs, harassment and disrepair

• succession

• confidentiality throughout the housing process

• the person with HIV/AIDS being able to retain control over her/his situation.

One way to address the need for good practice is by a housing provider having a policy for people with HIV/AIDS. A good policy would address the needs of people with HIV/AIDS, inform them of what the housing provider will do for them and ensure that the officer(s) directly responsible for housing provision will know what to do for a person with HIV/AIDS in a particular situation. Some local authorities have such a policy and a few have designated officers to deal specifically with people with HIV/AIDS.