GMHC — Gay Men's Health Crisis

I came to GMHC as an HIV positive client dealing with a serious and ongoing habitability dispute with a major corporate landlord. My apartment had a 24-year-old HVAC unit that was eventually replaced, but the real issue was years of accumulated dust and debris inside the building’s shared ductwork — buildup I documented extensively with photographs. I had only lived in the apartment for six months, so this contamination clearly predated my tenancy and was not something I caused, although Equity Residential claimed it was a house keeping issue (perhaps, but not 6 months, more like 20 years). I also have chronic asthma and have had pneumonia twice, as well as COVID-19 three times despite being fully vaccinated, which made the air quality in my apartment a genuine health concern, not a minor inconvenience. See photos below. It took a couple of weeks just to become a client. Everyone in that process was very pleasant. Once my case reached the attorney, everything changed. In my first call, he told me I was “one of many clients.” I understand they have a large caseload. But I expected, at minimum, to be acknowledged as a person whose situation was serious, not dismissed as a number. The suggestions offered to me — including installing cameras I could not afford, to monitor whether building staff might harm my Emotional Support Animals while I was out — showed little real understanding of what I was actually dealing with. Over the following week, I sent multiple follow-up emails. Almost none were answered. When I finally escalated and a supervising attorney called me, his opening question was “what exactly do you want us to do?” That is not the tone of an organization built to fight for vulnerable people. I resolved my situation almost entirely on my own — filing complaints, documenting everything, and ultimately negotiating my own exit from the lease. When I informed GMHC the matter was resolved, I received no acknowledgment at all. I don’t doubt that GMHC does good work for some people. Actually that’s a lie. I think they’re rubbish. Based on my own experience, I would caution anyone going through a serious housing or health-related crisis not to assume this organization will actively fight for you. Document everything yourself and don’t rely on them to follow through.

Staff is very nice makes you feel welcome.

Nice, wonderful people at GMHC, who connected me to resources while I was unemployed. Thank you to the team!

Terrible! I completed my legal process here at GMHC with Ms. Yanira Gómez, who claimed to be an immigration attorney, and it turns out they stole our money. We paid with a money order for the USCIS application fees, and GMHC never sent the money and hasn't responded to me at all. We wasted over a year waiting for answers, only to find out they hadn't even sent our case to immigration. Please don't trust these people; they are completely unprofessional. ❌❌❌❌