By Matt Simonette

Staff writer

Community officials and activists attended a ribbon-cutting ceremony Jan. 10 at the Phoenix apartments, 1251 S. Sawyer, a $6.1-million housing development for homeless individuals living with HIV/AIDS. The new building was planned and is operated by the AIDSCare social services agency.

“The reason that we really came into this neighborhood is that this is one of the highest (rates) of HIV infection in the city of Chicago,” said AIDSCare founder and CEO Jim Flosi. “The people that we have worked with have become our family.”

The Phoenix, which houses about 32 residents, is the third of five buildings being constructed on the AIDSCare West Side campus in the North Lawndale community. It follows Sawyer Garden Apartments, which opened in 2004, and Garden View apartments, which opened in 2005. Phoenix residents are expected to move in beginning in early February.

To live in the facility, residents must be both HIV-positive and homeless and earn no more than 50 percent of the Chicago area median income; the maximum annual income for a single resident is currently $26,400. Residents have their own rooms, bathrooms and cooking facilities.

Flosi said waiting lists for the apartments have already grown long. So far 30 people have applied for spots in the Phoenix, and he expects that number to grow quickly.

“Our first building had 18 apartments. We had 127 applications. Our second building had 16 apartments and we had 174 applications for those,” Flosi said.

He added that the facility is in dire need of contributions of household items such as bed and bath linens.

“Many of our operating expenses are paid for,” Flosi said. “But we are in real need of help with our support services.”

The fourth and fifth buildings of the AIDSCare campus are to house medical and social services facilities open to both community members and residents, according to Flosi. He added that AIDSCare also plans a facility for veterans with HIV/AIDS on the West or North sides.