If you’ve spent any time in New York City, you may have walked past one of Housing Works’ iconic thrift shops or cafés. But behind those storefronts lies one of the most powerful examples of community care, activism, and social enterprise in the country.

Founded in 1990 by members of ACT UP, Housing Works was built on the belief that housing is healthcare. For people living with HIV/AIDS, homelessness, or substance use challenges, safe and stable housing is often the first step toward survival and dignity.

What Housing Works Does

• Housing & Support Services – Permanent supportive housing for thousands of New Yorkers living with HIV/AIDS and other chronic health conditions.
• Healthcare Access – Clinics providing HIV testing, primary care, harm reduction, and mental health services.
• Legal Advocacy – Fighting for the rights of people living with HIV/AIDS, LGBTQ+ people, and those experiencing housing discrimination.
• Social Enterprises – Bookstores, thrift shops, and cafés that generate revenue while also building community spaces.
• Policy & Activism – Tireless advocacy for universal healthcare, drug decriminalization, housing justice, and HIV/AIDS funding.

Why Housing Works Matters for Consent Culture

Consent cannot exist in a vacuum. People need safety, stability, and access to care before they can show up fully in relationships and communities. By tackling the intersection of health, housing, and justice, Housing Works creates the conditions where autonomy and dignity are possible.

For the LGBTQ+, sex worker, and non-monogamous communities, Housing Works has been a consistent ally, offering harm reduction supplies, healthcare without judgment, and advocacy that centers marginalized voices.

A Model of Sustainable Care

What makes Housing Works unique is its self-sustaining model: profits from their shops and cafés funnel directly into their housing, healthcare, and advocacy programs. Every time you grab a coffee or buy a secondhand jacket, you’re helping someone access lifesaving services.

Learn More & Support

Visit housingworks.org to shop, donate, or get involved.

If consent culture is about building a world where everyone can make real choices about their bodies and lives, then Housing Works is doing that work on the ground every single day.

Related reading

These pieces continue the same thread around HIV, HPV, HSV, and disclosure.

• GMHC: A Legacy of Care, Advocacy, and Community
• Callen-Lorde Community Health Center: Healthcare With Pride
• What support is available for people living with HIV or chronic STIs?