The Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program, managed by HUD's Office of HIV/AIDS Housing, was established to provide housing assistance and related supportive services for low-income persons living with HIV/AIDS and their families.
Two types of grants are made under the HOPWA program. HOPWA formula grants are made using a statutorily-mandated formula to allocate approximately 90 percent of HOPWA funds to eligible cities on behalf of their metropolitan areas and to eligible States. HOPWA competitive funds are awarded on the basis of a national competition.
HOPWA provides funding through a formula program as well as a competitive program that has different types of grant projects. The annual HOPWA appropriation is divided between the two programs – 90 percent for formula program grants and 10 percent for competitive program grants.
Eligible applicants include metropolitan statistical areas with more than 500,000 people and at least 2,000 HIV/AIDS cases and States with more than 2,000 HIV/AIDS cases outside of eligible metropolitan statistical areas. Awards are contingent upon the submission and approval by HUD of a jurisdiction's Consolidated Plan. The method for allocating HOPWA formula funding was modernized in 2016 with the passing and signing of the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act. For more information, visit the HOPWA formula Modernization page.
Eligible applicants include States, local governments, and nonprofit organizations. Awards are based on competitive applications, with priority given by congressional authority to the renewal of expiring permanent supportive housing project grants.
If funds remain after renewals, they are distributed under the annual Notice of Funding Availability (NOFA) competition. Typically, funding is available for two types of projects:
Through the 2011 Integrated HIV/AIDS Housing Plan (IHHP) SPNS new project competition, the Office of HIV/AIDS Housing announced seven new competitive grants that were funded to improve the coordination of HIV housing, medical care, and supportive services in their communities and streamline access to other existing local services and resources for persons living with HIV/AIDS through community-wide strategies. For more information, visit the 2011 IHHP Special Projects of National Significance (SPNS) Program Grantees page.
In 2016, HUD and the U.S. Department of Justice announced eight new SPNS grantees under the jointly-funded Violence Against Women Act and Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (VAWA/HOPWA) Demonstration Initiative. Through this demonstration, the VAWA/HOPWA grantees will provide housing assistance and supportive services to low-income persons living with HIV/AIDS who are survivors of sexual assault, domestic violence, dating violence or stalking. In addition, the grantees will work to strengthen partnerships between local HIV housing and service providers and victim service providers for client outreach and engagement and for comprehensive supportive services to ensure client success in the program.
HOPWA funds may be used for a wide range of housing, social services, program planning, and development costs. These include, but are not limited to, the acquisition; rehabilitation; or new construction of housing units; costs for facility operations; rental assistance; and short-term payments to prevent homelessness. An essential component in providing housing assistance for this targeted special needs population is the coordination and delivery of support services. Consequently, HOPWA funds also may be used for services including (but not limited to) assessment and case management, substance abuse treatment, mental health treatment, nutritional services, job training and placement assistance, and assistance with daily living.
Low-income persons (at or below 80 percent of area median income) that are medically diagnosed with HIV/AIDS and their families are eligible to receive HOPWA-funded assistance.
HOPWA formula grants are awarded to eligible States and cities on behalf of their metropolitan areas upon submission and HUD approval of a Consolidated Plan pursuant to the Code of Federal Regulations (24 CFR Part 91), which is published by the Office of the Federal Register. HOPWA competitive program grants are awarded to eligible applicants through the NOFA process, although in some years, funds are available only for renewal projects.