SPRINGFIELD, Ill -- Gov. Rod R. Blagojevich has announced the awarding of 12 grants totaling nearly $500,000 to provide housing and support services to low-income persons living with HIV or AIDS in Chicago, Belleville and Rock Island.

“Persons living with HIV or AIDS require stable housing in order to access and receive medical care and supportive services,” Blagojevich said. “Through these grants about 500 persons will receive the housing assistance they so desperately need to keep from becoming homeless or being forced into an unstable living situation while confronted with this devastating disease.”

The grantees will use the federal U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) funds to provide residential housing, pay operating costs, fund rehabilitation and repair of their facilities and make available supportive services, including case management, recovery and housing information.

The Illinois Department of Public Health has awarded HUD’s Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS grants since 1996.

Those receiving grants through a competitive bid process were:

• AIDS Care, Chicago, operating costs of the West Barry Supportive Housing Program -- $50,00
• Alexian Brothers Bonaventure House, Chicago, supportive services and operating costs -- $50,000
• Bethany Place, Belleville, supportive services, operating costs, rehabilitation and repair -- $35,900
• Bridging the Tys to Jordan, Chicago, supportive services, operating costs and rehabilitation and repair of Jordan House -- $25,311
• Chicago House and Social Service Agency rehabilitation and repair of supportive living program housing facility -- $50,000
• Children’s Place Association, Chicago, rehabilitation and repair of the residential program housing facility -- $29,000
• Community Supportive Living Systems, Inc., Chicago, housing monitors at Langley Court residential housing facility -- $49,830
• DeLaCerda House, Inc., Rock Island, supportive services and rehabilitation and repair for Steven’s Place residential housing facility -- $48,224
• Garfield Counseling Center, Chicago, operating costs and rehabilitation and repair of the Sisters of Sobriety House -- $36,500
• Heartland Human Care Services, Inc., Chicago, operating costs at Rafael Center -- $46,521
• New Phoenix Assistance Center, Chicago, supportive services and operating costs -- $50,000
• South Side Help Center, Chicago, supportive services, including case management and housing advocacy -- $19,850