hiv/aids, homelessness and hopwa national aids housing coalition congressional briefing

HIV/AIDS, Homelessness and HOPWA

National AIDS Housing CoalitionCongressional Briefing


1959 Earliest case of HIV confirmed. HIV found in blood samples

of an African man.

1969 First known case in the U.S. A teen prostitute with HIV and

Kaposi's Sarcoma dies.


“We saw a young gay man with the most devastating immune deficiency we have ever seen. We said ‘We don’t know what this is, but we hope we don’t ever see another like it again.’”

Dr. Samuel Brode, the first time he saw a patient with AIDS.

1981

"Gay cancer," later called GRID (Gay Related Immunodeficiency) 152 cases reported in the U.S.; 128 are dead.

"Dr. Curran of the CDC said, 'The best evidence against contagion is that no cases have been reported outside the homosexual community or in women'"The New York Times 1981


“When it began turning up in children and transfusion recipients, that was a turning point in terms of public perception. Up until then it was a gay epidemic, and it was easy for the average person to say 'So what?' Now everyone could relate.” Harold Jaffe, CDC

1982Over and over, these men cry out against the weight of so many losses until it seems that AIDS is all there is and all there ever will be.

Jane Gross


14-year old Ryan White, diagnosed with AIDS at 13, is barred from attending school.

Rock Hudson dies of AIDS.

1985


In February, the AIDS Coalition to Unleash Power (ACT UP) is founded. In March, their first mass demonstration was held on Wall Street.

The AIDS Memorial Quilt is started in San Francisco.

1986


20 states introduce bills to ban PWAs from food-handling and educational jobs, and force testing of prostitutes. Several pass.

The AIDS Drug Assistance Program (ADAP) is initiated.

59,572 reported AIDS cases; 27,909 are dead.

1987


The Ryan White CARE ACT passes authorizing $881 million. Congress only appropriates $350 million.

American AIDS deaths pass the 100,000 mark — nearly twice the number of Americans who died in Vietnam.

1990


Federal Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program created and funded. $42.9 million was awarded to 38 grantees (27 cities and 11 States).

1992


What is HOPWA?

Since the beginning of the HOPWA program in 1992, the Federal government has made available over $2.3 billion in HOPWA funds to support community efforts to create and operate HIV/AIDS housing initiatives.

The HOPWA program provides housing assistance and related supportive services for low-income persons with HIV/AIDS (PWHIV/AIDS) and their families.

In FFY 2003, HOPWA funds were awarded to 111 grantees.


According to the CDC, an estimated 850,000 to 950,000 Americans are living with HIV.

About half of infected Americans don’t know they have HIV or do not receive the drugs that are improving the lives of others.

At least half of all new HIV infections are among people under 25, and the majority of young people are infected sexually.

Of those diagnosed with AIDS – 18.4% are women; 40.6% are African-American; 46% are gay men; 25% are or were injecting drug users.

It is estimated that 33% - 50% of all PLWHIV/AIDS are either homeless or in imminent danger of becoming homeless .

HIV/AIDS Statistics


The Need for Housing for PLHIV/AIDS In New York City, 60% of the 50,000 New Yorkers living with AIDS

received housing assistance in 2002 and 1,000 seek emergency housing each month.

HOPWA jurisdictions throughout the U.S. report extensive waiting lists for HOPWA assisted housing. In 2002, this included

approximately 5,000 in NYC, 2,000 in Massachusetts, 534 in St. Louis, over 350 in Dallas, and 514 in Washington, D.C.

In Connecticut, a startling 80% of the 1,082 PLWHIV/AIDS who requested housing assistance were denied because of a lack of subsidized housing.


1997For the first time since 1981,

the number of AIDS-related deaths dropped substantially across the US.

"The decline in deaths leaves more people living with HIV/AIDS. …We still

need programs that assure access to treatment and care for infected people."

Dr John Ward


The Need for Housing for PLHIV/AIDS In Hawaii, half as many people are waiting for assistance as are served

through HOPWA. And in Phoenix, AZ, providers turn away more than half of the people requesting assistance.

In the South, 68% of people with HIV/AIDS pay more than 50% of their income to rent.

In Los Angeles, 10,000 persons living with HIV/AIDS received housing assistance in 2000.


40,000 new HIV infections each year.

902,223 diagnosed with AIDS

2003

512,758 deaths.


PWHIV/AIDS must have stable housing to access comprehensive healthcare and adhere to complex drug therapies.

Even though stable housing has been shown to be a necessary link to medical and supportive services, accessing housing is difficult for many reasons – affordability, long waiting lists, low vacancy rates, lack of transportation and childcare, unrealistic FMRs.

Housing is Healthcare!!!


HOPWA Formula Program uses a statutory method to allocate HOPWA funds to eligible States and cities on behalf of their metropolitan areas.

HOPWA Competitive Program is a national competition to select model projects or programs.

HOPWA National Technical Assistance funding awards are provided to strengthen the management, operation, and capacity of HOPWA grantees, project sponsors, and potential applicants of HOPWA funding.

HOPWA funds are awarded as grants from one of three programs:


Fiscal year Formula allocations

Competitive grants

Technical assistance

Totals

2001 229.4 25.5 2.6 257.4

2002 247.9 27.5 2.0 277.4

2003 257.3 29.2 1.9 290.1

2004 263.0 29.2 2.5 294.7

HOPWA Funding 2001 – 2004 (in millions)


The administration's proposed HOPWA budget for 2006 is

$268 million.

When compared to last year’s funding level, this amounts to a $13 million decrease, the lowest

level since 2002.

NAHC strongly recommends that

HOPWA be funded at $385 million in FY06


States and cities leverage approximately two dollars

for every one dollar provided by the HOPWA program.


HOPWA funds may be used for a wide range of housing, social services, program planning, and development costs.

These include, acquisition, rehabilitation, or new construction of housing units; costs for facility operations; rental assistance; and short-term payments to prevent homelessness.

HOPWA funds also may be used for health care and mental health services, chemical dependency treatment, nutritional services, case management, assistance with daily living, and other supportive services.

How HOPWA funds can be used….


HUD estimates that the FY 2004 HOPWA appropriation: Inclusive of family members, provided housing assistance to

about 73,700 persons; and that More than half of those units (45,000 units) were for small,

short-term payments to prevent homelessness. 25,000 units involved ongoing rental assistance. Approximately 5,000 units in supportive housing facilities,

single room occupancy (SRO) dwellings, or community residences also will be developed or operated with HOPWA funds.

Who has been assisted by HOPWA?


HOPWA funding is an important tool in the nation’s effort to address the dual epidemics of homelessness and HIV/AIDS.

HOPWA assistance helps PLWHIV/AIDS overcome key barriers to stable housing—affordability and discrimination.

NAHC strongly recommends that HOPWA be funded at $385 million in FY06

In Closing...


This presentation is dedicated in memory of Keith Cylar and the incredible work he did on behalf of people with HIV/AIDS. Keith was a co-founder and co-executive director of HousingWorks, NYC and a Board member of NAHC.

Washington, DC, March 2004

April 14, 1958 - April 5, 2004


For more information contact:

Nancy Bernstine, Executive DirectorNational AIDS Housing Coalition1518 K Street NW, Suite 206Washington, DC 20005-1518202. 347-0333 [email protected]

hiv/aids, homelessness and hopwa national aids housing coalition congressional briefing

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