The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development awarded $1.2 million to the Justice Resource Institute Inc. in Boston as part of a national effort to offer permanent and transitional housing and support services to more than 200 households with families and individuals living with HIV/AIDS.

Provided through HUD’s Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program, these projects will also develop new cross program approaches in HIV care by creating an Integrated HIV/AIDS Housing Plan in their communities, according to a statement.

"These resources will allow public agencies, nonprofits and housing authorities to forge new partnerships so that together, we can deliver comprehensive housing solutions and services for low-income families dealing with HIV," HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan said. "These communities will be innovating to more effectively and efficiently assist vulnerable households with HIV and serve as models for others to improve health outcomes and reduce risks of homelessness."

HUD’s grant funding will support the Justice Resource Institute (JRI) in Boston for a regional JRI Health Youth Housing Initiative. This effort will provide scattered site tenant based housing rental assistance and supportive services to 20 homeless youth who are living with HIV in the Boston area in partnership with the Metropolitan Boston Housing Partnership and the Boston Medical Center SPARK Center.

In collaboration with other parties, the group will offer supportive housing over the next three years to 208 households.