Advocacy
The National HIV/AIDS Housing Coalition (NHAHC) is committed to ending the HIV/AIDS epidemic by ensuring that people with HIV/AIDS have quality, affordable, and appropriate housing by advocating for resources and equitable policies and supporting other housing & HIV justice organizations.
History: In response to the unique and varied housing needs of people living with HIV/AIDS, the Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program was created in 1992. The program, housed in the Office of Community Planning and Development in the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), directly addresses the housing and service needs of people living with HIV/AIDS. Research has shown that housing is the greatest unmet need for people living with the disease.
On December 29th, President Biden signed into law the FY 2023 omnibus appropriations bill. This was previously passed by the House on Friday December 23 with a 221-205-1 vote and a 68-29 Senate vote on December 22.
The bill allocates $499 million for HOPWA, a $49 million increase from FY22 and the highest level of funding in history. However, this amount is still far less than the $600 million we advocated for. Our advocacy will continue!
In addition— the nation will benefit from slight increases to other HIV programs and significant investments to other housing programs like Homeless Assistance Grants and Housing Choice Vouchers. Partners should be ready to pursue housing funding from a variety of streams in order to meet the needs of persons living with HIV/AIDS.
HOPWA Formula Update (Modernization): Prior to the HOPWA formula update, program funds were based on the number of cumulative AIDS cases since the epidemic began, including those who have died. Public Law 1114-201, the Housing Opportunity Through Modernization Act (HOMTA), signed into law in 2016, included the long-sought switch to count those living with HIV in a given jurisdiction rather than cumulative AIDS. Such distribution better reflects the nature of the HIV epidemic that has evolved over the years through advances in HIV care and surveillance and the increasingly disproportionate impact of HIV in communities of poverty. The update began phasing in the full implementation of the formula change over five years in FY17. It caps grantee gains at 10% and losses at 5% and includes a housing cost factor and poverty factor. FY21 reflects the full implementation of the HOPWA formula update.
HOPWA Funding History
