Request for Application Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA) Program

Introduction

The Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) Program, established by the AIDS Housing Opportunity Act, is the only Federal program dedicated to the housing needs of people living with HIV/AIDS. Under the HOPWA program, United States Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) makes grants to local communities, states, and nonprofit organizations for projects that benefit low-income persons living with HIV/AIDS and their families.

The HOPWA program was authorized by the AIDS Housing Opportunity Act of 1992 and is funded through HUD in accordance with Title 24, Code of Federal Regulations, Part 574 (24 CFR Part 574). The HOPWA program goals are to: (1) increase housing stability, (2) reduce the risk of homelessness, and (3) increase access to care and support.

HOPWA funding is flexible and supports a wide range of eligible housing activities and support services so that project sponsors may customize programs based on community housing and service needs, special sub-populations served, and other available public and private resources. Persons living with HIV/AIDS confront unique barriers to accessing housing, care, and services. These challenges are compounded by experiences of housing discrimination, stigma, or limited local affordable housing options, and often jeopardize an individual’s chances of remaining stably housed. Research consistently shows that housing is a critical component of HIV/AIDS care and prevention. By providing assistance with housing and related services, the HOPWA program helps people living with HIV/AIDS to enter into housing, access and remain in care, and abide by complex treatment management.

Locally, the Eligible Metropolitan Statistical Area (EMSA) for HOPWA services is the entirety of the County of Orange. As the largest city within the region, the City of Anaheim (City) is the grantee of HOPWA funding from HUD and administers and manages all HOPWA funds for the EMSA. The City has operated as the region’s HOPWA grantee since 2014.

Purpose of Program

The purpose of the HOPWA program is to provide housing assistance and supportive services for low-income persons medically diagnosed with HIV/AIDS and their families, who are homeless, at risk of homelessness, or unstably housed. The program provides housing and other support to help the most vulnerable households with multiple health and life challenges to achieve housing stability. HOPWA supportive housing also serves as a cost-effective housing intervention that increases an individual’s access to care, reduces emergency care costs, and improves life outcomes for the beneficiaries.

Program Description

• The City receives an annual HOPWA entitlement grant from HUD to serve HOPWA eligible clients in the County of Orange, in compliance with the AIDS Housing Opportunity Act and other federal requirements. The Anaheim Housing and Community Development Department (HCD) acts as the HOPWA Administrator on behalf of the City.
• Program emphasis should be placed on providing an adequate assessment of program participants’ housing barriers with a focus on stabilizing their housing as soon as possible.
• All funded HOPWA project sponsors are expected to develop, with the input of each program participant, an individualized housing plan.
• Program emphasis should be placed on successfully coordinating services for program participants so that each person served has contact with a case manager and a primary health care provider and can easily access and maintain medical insurance/assistance and potentially sources of income.

Service Areas

The awarded project sponsor must be able to provide services to eligible residents in the County of Orange.