Major Victories for LGBT People Announced!
Thursday, October 22, 2009
By: Guido Sanchez

"This is a momentous time for our community," said Terry Stone, Executive Director of CenterLink.

CenterLink: The Community of LGBT Centers praises the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the Health and Human Services administration (HHS), Congress, and the Obama administration for their incredible work for the LGBT community and people living with HIV.

This week marks an historic time in which HUD announced anti-discrimination policies that would make it the first federal agency to propose guidelines that would explicitly address gender identity and sexual orientation, and would ensure access to services for the LGBT community. In addition, HHS has announced the formation of a resource center for LGBT elders, another historic moment in the federal administration's support of our community. And finally, both the House and Senate have passed the Ryan White Treatment Extension Act of 2009, ensuring resources and access to vital life-saving programs for all people living with HIV.

"This is a momentous time for our community," said Terry Stone, Executive Director of CenterLink. "The clear message these actions send to our community is that LGBT people matter, our rights matter, and our community deserves access to life saving programs and services. We are so pleased that the support of the Obama administration for our community has made such an impact."

Housing & Urban Development Announces Historic Proposals for LGBT People

The Obama administration’s Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has announced new policies banning discrimination based on sexual orientation or gender identity.

"The evidence is clear that some are denied the opportunity to make housing choices in our nation based on who they are and that must end," said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. "President Obama and I are determined that a qualified individual and family will not be denied housing choice based on sexual orientation or gender identity."

Under the new guidelines, the term “family” will now include all eligible lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender people, couples and families and subsidized housing will be made available to those in need. HUD also announced it will begin a nationwide investigation into the discrimination LGBT people face in housing, a first for the federal government.

Please click here to jump to the full release.

Health and Human Services Announces Formation of National Resource Center for LGBT Elders

The Obama administration's Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) has announced the creation of a national resource center to assist communities across the country in providing services and support for elderly LGBT people.

This center, a first in the nation, will provide information, assistance and resources to LGBT organizations and mainstream aging service providers at the state and community level. The center will also be available to educate the LGBT community about planning ahead for future long term care needs. The LGBT Resource Center will also help community-based organizations understand the unique needs and concerns of elder LGBT people and assist these organizations in providing help to LGBT caregivers who are providing care for an older partner with health or other challenges.

In addition, the Administration on Aging will award a single Resource Center grant at approximately $250,000 per year. Eligible entities will include public-private nonprofit organizations with experience working on LGBT issues on a national level.

Please click here to jump to the full release.

Ryan White Act Passage Provides Expansion to Life Saving Programs for People With HIV

The House and Senate passed the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009, doing so by a unanimous vote in the Senate and with a large majority in the House (408-9).

This means that with President Obama’s signature expected, funding for Ryan White programs is guaranteed for four years, and will be increased by 5%. These programs provide life-saving services to numerous people living with HIV across the U.S.

Click here for the President's statement on Ryan White.

OBAMA ADMINISTRATION TO ENSURE INCLUSION OF THE LGBT COMMUNITY IN HUD PROGRAMS
Commissions first-ever national study of discrimination against members of the
LGBT community in the renting and sale of housing

WASHINGTON - U.S. Housing and Urban Development Secretary Shaun Donovan today announced a series of proposals to ensure that HUD's core housing programs are open to all, regardless of sexual orientation or gender identity.

"The evidence is clear that some are denied the opportunity to make housing choices in our nation based on who they are and that must end," said Donovan. "President Obama and I are determined that a qualified individual and family will not be denied housing choice based on sexual orientation or gender identity."

The initiatives announced today will be a proposed rule that will provide the opportunity for public comment. The proposed rule will:

• clarify that the term "family" as used to describe eligible beneficiaries of our public housing and Housing Choice Voucher programs include otherwise eligible lesbian, gay, bi-sexual or transgender (LGBT) individuals and couples. HUD's public housing and voucher programs help more than three million families to rent an affordable home. The Department's intent to propose new regulations will clarify family status to ensure its subsidized housing programs are available to all families, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

• require grantees and those who participate in the Department's programs to comply with local and state non-discrimination laws that cover sexual orientation or gender identity; and

• specify that any FHA-insured mortgage loan must be based on the credit-worthiness of a borrower and not on unrelated factors or characteristics such as sexual orientation or gender identity.

In addition to issuance of proposed rule, HUD will commission the first-ever national study of discrimination against members of the LGBT community in the rental and sale of housing.

HUD expects to begin the regulatory process immediately. The LGBT discrimination study is similarly fast tracked. HUD undertook important research in 1977, 1989 and 2000 to study the impact of housing discrimination on the basis of race and color. It is believed that LGBT individuals and families may remain silent because in many local jurisdictions, they may have little or no legal recourse. HUD's study will examine housing discrimination based on Sexual orientation or gender identity.

While there are no national assessments of LGBT housing discrimination, there are state and local studies that have shown this sort of bias. For example, Michigan's Fair Housing Centers found that nearly 30 percent of same-sex couples were treated differently when attempting to buy or rent a home (http://www.fhcmichigan.org/images/Arcus_web1.pdf).

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HUD is the nation's housing agency committed to sustaining homeownership; creating affordable housing opportunities for low-income Americans; and supporting the homeless, elderly, people with disabilities and people living with AIDS. The Department also promotes economic and community development and enforces the nation's fair housing laws. More information about HUD and its programs is available on the Internet at www.hud.gov and espanol.hud.gov.

DATE: Wednesday, October 21, 2009
FOR RELEASE: Immediately            
Contact:  AoA Press Office
(202) 357-3507
           
HHS to Create a National Resource Center for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and
Transgender Elders

HHS Secretary Kathleen Sebelius today announced plans to establish the
nation's first national resource center to assist communities across the
country in their efforts to provide services and supports for older
lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender (LGBT) individuals.  

Experts estimate that as many as 1.5 to 4 million LGBT individuals are
age 60 and older.   Agencies that provide services to older individuals
may be unfamiliar or uncomfortable with the needs of this group of
individuals. The new Resource Center for LGBT Elders will provide
information, assistance and resources for both LGBT organizations and
mainstream aging services providers at the state and community level to
assist them in the development and provision of culturally sensitive
supports and services. The LGBT Center will also be available to educate
the LGBT community about the importance of planning ahead for future
long term care needs.

The LBGT Resource Center will help community-based organizations
understand the unique needs and concerns of older LGBT individuals and
assist them in implementing programs for local service providers,
including providing help to LGBT caregivers who are providing care for
an older partner with health or other challenges.  

The Administration on Aging will award a single Resource Center grant at
approximately $250,000 per year, pending availability of funds.
Eligible entities will include public-private nonprofit organizations
with experience working on LGBT issues on a national level. The funding
announcement for the Resource Center will be made available on the
following website very soon.
http://www.aoa.gov/AoARoot/Grants/Funding/index.aspx
               

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Note: All HHS press releases, fact sheets and other press materials are
available at http://www.hhs.gov/news.

EXECUTIVE OFFICE OF THE PRESIDENT 

OFFICE OF MANAGEMENT AND BUDGET 

WASHINGTON, D.C. 20503 

October 19, 2009

(Senate)

STATEMENT OF ADMINISTRATION POLICY

S. 1793 — Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009

(Sen. Harkin, D-Iowa)

The Administration strongly supports Senate passage of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Treatment Extension Act of 2009.  The Ryan White program provides critical health care and related services to uninsured and underinsured people living with HIV/AIDS.  This legislation authorizes appropriations for the program for the next four years.

The Administration is committed to strengthening access to care for people living with HIV/AIDS.  The legislation reauthorizes all parts of the Ryan White HIV/AIDS Program and supports continued funding for the Minority AIDS Initiative, the goal of which is to address the disproportionate impact of the disease on racial and ethnic minorities.

When the program was last reauthorized in 2006, the Congress took steps to ensure that the program adopted names-based HIV case data as a basis for funding allocations to direct resources to areas of greatest need.  This bill recognizes that some States’ HIV case reporting systems are not yet fully matured, and continues funding for jurisdictions with HIV surveillance systems that are still transitioning.  In recognition of the growing epidemic outside of major urban areas with longstanding epidemics, it is important that the Ryan White program evolve and move towards determining funding allocations based on valid, reliable HIV surveillance data.  The legislation also supports continuing assistance to Transitional Grant Areas.

The Administration supports the provision in the legislation revising the threshold of unobligated balances that triggers penalties for unexpended grant funds.  In an effort to simplify administration of the Ryan White programs, the Administration strongly supports the inclusion of a provision to offset unobligated balances from subsequent grant awards rather than cancellation of unobligated amounts.  Implementation of the cancellation of unobligated balances has proven to be a barrier to efficient and timely disbursement and reallocation of these unexpended funds.

The Administration believes that the current bill makes important improvements in HIV/AIDS care and treatment and looks forward to working with the Congress on this effort to ensure that the Ryan White Program provides the most efficient, effective systems of care for people living with HIV/AIDS.

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