Panel examines Phila. homelessness, HIV

Clifford Williams is a rare exception to a rule. He transcended the downward spiral of homelessness despite living with HIV. But hundreds of people right here in West Philadelphia aren’t so lucky.

A panel of professors and activists raised awareness Tuesday about the dire situation of the homeless in Philadelphia, especially those living with HIV/AIDS. Civic House Associates Coalition, an umbrella organization supporting community service and social justice at Penn, sponsored the event as part of their year-long “Think About It” campaign.

According to the panelists, housing is the single-most important factor for people living with AIDS. “It’s health care, it’s security, it’s prevention,” said Williams, who now serves as a member of Philadelphia’s AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power program for the homeless. “Housing provides a base of action to lift yourself out of poverty and to be treated.”

Basic housing can also curb the spread of AIDS. Penn professor and director of research for the National Center on Homelessness Dennis Culhane explained the homeless are “more than eight times more likely to engage in risk behavior that could lead to AIDS.” Finding a way to keep HIV-infected homeless people off the streets, he said, will dramatically reduce crime, poverty rates and the spread of disease.

However, some of the programs in place to shelter the homeless are currently in limbo. The Ridge Center, Philadelphia’s main homeless shelter for men in the city, is scheduled to be closed at the end of this year. All three panelists — Williams, Culhane and housing specialist for ActionAIDS Kimberly Chiaramonte — encouraged Penn students to get involved through the Civic House or groups like ACT UP to promote local reform.

Overall, both organizers and attendees seemed pleased with the event. CHAC Co-Chairwoman and College junior Anna Caffry loved seeing the turnout of about 30, especially considering the large number of events happening concurrently with the talk.

College sophomore Pallavi Podapati, added that she was glad Penn students were being made aware of these kind of issues so they could take action and create change. “For our four years, we are a part of this city and have a responsibility to our community here. There’s a real need to be more cognizant of the way our city works.”

First-year School of Medicine student Ryan Jamiolkowski was glad that members of Penn’s community were taking an active role in the homeless problem in Philadelphia. “It’s important that we are getting everyone together to talk about this and actually have a plan to go out and influence the local government, where change is a lot more feasible than at a national level.”

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