HUD Awards $41 Million in HOPWA Grants to Provide Housing to Low-Income Persons Living with HIV and Their Families

December 1, 2021 -- The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) Office of HIV/AIDS Housing today announced it will award $41 million in Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA) competitive grants to 20 local governments and non-profit organizations through the HOPWA: Housing as an Intervention to Fight AIDS funding opportunity.

“The importance of affordable housing and access to inclusive, non-discriminatory supportive services for low-income persons living with HIV/AIDS cannot be understated,” said Secretary Marcia L. Fudge. “Housing is a powerful structural intervention in ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic and this funding will provide grantees and their partners the opportunity to make a real impact in their communities.”

In April, HUD announced the HOPWA Notice of Funding Opportunity (NOFO), which allowed applicants to submit proposals aimed at creating and implementing new projects that align with initiatives to end the HIV/AIDS epidemic and to elevate housing as an effective structural intervention in ending the epidemic.

The HOPWA grants are a part of HUD’s mission to providing access to high-quality and culturally competent services, including housing and supportive services that are non-stigmatizing, non-discriminatory, inclusive, and responsive to the needs of persons living with HIV/AIDS. Housing instability has been a major issue facing many persons living with HIV since the beginning of the epidemic.

Approximately half of all persons living with HIV in the U.S. will experience homelessness or housing instability at some point following their diagnosis. Economic disadvantages, episodes of poor health, and co-occurring health diagnoses make it difficult for many persons living with HIV to secure or maintain housing. Additionally, HIV/AIDS-related stigma, discrimination and systemic racism contribute to differences in access to housing and lead to ongoing disparities among racial, ethnic, and LGBTQ+ communities.

The projects awarded today show exemplary and innovative qualities, including community-level coordination, data collection with emphasis on stable housing and positive health outcomes, culturally competent approaches to providing housing and services, and a systemic approach to advance equity in underserved communities that can serve as a national place-based model. The awardees of the HOPWA grants will receive a one-time, non-renewable grant to fund housing assistance and supportive services for eligible beneficiaries, coordination and planning activities, and grants management and administration.

Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) Competitive Grant: Housing as an Intervention to Fight AIDS Awardees

To read the full grants’ project summaries, click here.