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The Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA) Program is the only Federal program dedicated to the housing needs of people living with HIV/AIDS. Under the HOPWA Program, HUD makes grants to local communities, States, and nonprofit organizations for projects that benefit low-income persons living with HIV/AIDS and their families.These resources help clients maintain housing stability, avoid homelessness, and improve access to HIV/AIDS treatment and related care while placing a greater emphasis on permanent supportive housing.
The HOPWA program was established by the AIDS Housing Opportunity Act and remains the only federal housing program solely dedicated to providing rental housing assistance for persons and their families living with HIV/AIDS. The program provides states and localities with resources and incentives to devise long-term comprehensive strategies for meeting the housing needs of low-income persons living with HIV/AIDS. HOPWA housing support enables these special-needs households to establish or maintain stable housing, reduce their risks of homelessness, and improve their access to healthcare and other support. Housing assistance provides the foundation from which these individuals and their families may participate in advances in HIV treatment and related care.
Although a large majority of HOPWA grant funding (90 percent) is allocated by formula based on the number of cases and highest incidence of AIDS, approximately 10 percent is awarded for the renewal of permanent supportive housing projects, demonstration projects for Special Projects of National Significance, and for non-formula areas. Applicants for formula awards are the eligible states and the most populous city in each eligible Metropolitan Statistical Area that qualifies and follows HUD's Consolidated Planning process. Eligible competitive grant applicants include states, units of general local government, and nonprofit organizations. HUD gives priority to the renewal of competitive projects that have provided permanent supportive housing for this special needs population. In addition, competitive grant funding is also available to provide additional funding for training, oversight, and technical assistance activities.
Grants may be used to provide a variety of forms of rental housing assistance, including emergency and transitional housing, shared housing arrangements, community residences, and single room occupancy dwellings (SROs). Appropriate supportive services are provided as part of any assisted housing. Eligible grant activities include housing information, resource identification, and permanent housing placement; acquisition, rehabilitation, conversion, lease, and repair of facilities to provide short-term shelter and services; new construction (for SROs and community residences only); project- or tenant-based rental assistance, including assistance for shared housing arrangements; short-term rent, mortgage, and utility payments; operating costs; technical assistance for community residences; administrative expenses; and supportive services, including case management.
Eligible persons receiving HOPWA rental assistance or residing in rental housing assisted under this program must pay as rent, including utilities, the highest of 30 percent of the family's monthly adjusted income, 10 percent of the family's monthly income, or the applicable portion of the family's welfare payment that is designated for housing costs.
States, units of local governments, and nonprofit organizations.
Source: HUD.gov
