Housing Works

Background

In 1990, Keith Cylar, Charles King, Eric Sawyer, and Virginia Shubert, activists associated with ACT UP, an AIDS-issues organization, resolved to found an organization focused on assisting homeless individuals in New York City suffering from HIV/AIDS. Four years later in 1994, the organization was established as a tax-exempt 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization in New York City under the name Housing Works Inc. ^{2 1}

Activities

In 1995, Housing Works established the Keith D. Cylar House, a health center and residential building. ¹

In 1997, the organization advocated against the AIDS housing policies of thenn-New York City Mayor Rudolph Guliani (R), which resulted, according to claims made in a lawsuit filed by the organization, in the cessation of funding from Guliani’s administration. Later in May 2005, the City of New York agreed to pay $4.8 million to the organization to settle the suit. ^{3 1}

As of 2025, Housing Works offers homeless and low-income individuals in New York City a variety of services, including housing, health care, food, nutritional counseling, mental health and substance use treatments, job training, and legal assistance. ¹

Policies

Housing Works engages in advocacy through its offices in New York City, Albany, the District of Columbia, Haiti, and Puerto Rico to support legislation that grants individuals with HIV/AIDS access to housing, health care, counseling, and legal protections from discrimination associated with their medical status. According to its website, the organization claims to be committed to non-violent civil disobedience. ¹

Funding

Housing Works is funded in part by a variety of nonprofit affiliate enterprises based in New York City, including an array of thrift shops and a bookstore café. ¹

Leadership

Charles King is a co-founder and as of 2025 was serving as the chief executive officer of Housing Works, as well as the co-chair of ACT Now: End AIDS, the Ending the Epidemic Subcommittee of the New York State AIDS Advisory Council, and the Visioning Committee of the National AIDS Housing Coalition. Previously, he sat on the governing body of the United Nations Programme on HIV/AIDS as a member of the Non-Governmental Organization Delegation to the Program Coordinating Board, and was a co-chair of the New York State End of AIDS Task Force. ¹

Matthew Bernardo is the president of Housing Works as well as a board member of EngageWell IPA. Previously, he worked at Bloomingdale’s, developing the business’s private label men’s line, and was the lead merchandiser for Skymall. ¹

Andrew Greene is the chief operating officer of Housing Works. Previously, he was the director of corporate development for Thirteen/WNET, a flagship PBS station, and a staffer with the Foundation for AIDS Research. ¹

Vaty Poitevien is the chief medical officer of Housing Works. Previously, she was a fellow at Columbia University’s College of Physicians and Surgeons and Harlem Hospital Center, focusing on infectious diseases. ¹

Pierre Richard Arty is the director of psychiatry at Housing Works. Previously, he worked as the clinical medical director with St. Vincent’s Services and the deputy executive director of behavioral health at Kings County Hospital Center. ¹

Michael Clarke is the senior vice president of programs at Housing Works. Previously, he worked in social services at St. Vincent’s Services and the Bronx-Lebanon Special Care Center, with a focus on AIDS-related services; as a psychotherapist at the Brooklyn Center for Psychotherapy; and as assistant director for client services at the AIDS Service Center of New York City. ¹

Earl Ward is the chair of Housing Works’s board of directors as well as a partner with Emery, Celli, Brinckerhoff, and Abady LLP. ¹