HUD AWARDS $1.5 MILLION TO A LOCAL HIV/AIDS HOUSING PROGRAM IN MONTANA
Funding supports stable housing for individuals and families at extreme risk for homelessness

WASHINGTON - Today, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced that extremely low-income Montanans living with HIV/AIDS will continue to receive permanent housing as a result of $1,482,040 grant HUD is awarding. Annually, this HUD funding will provide permanent supportive housing so they can manage their health and access needed supportive services such as case management and employment training.

The funding announced today is offered through HUD's Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS Program (HOPWA) and will renew HUD's support of The State of Montana, Department of Public Health and Human Services and will renew HUD's support of the following Montana program:

"These grants offer housing, vital healthcare and hope to hundreds of households that combine to literally save lives," said HUD Secretary Shaun Donovan. "Having stable housing can make all the difference to the health of someone living with HIV/AIDS who might otherwise be struggling to live on our streets."

HUD Rocky Mountain Region Administrator Rick Garcia added: "These HUD grants continue to exemplify the Department's commitment to support low income individuals affected by HIV/AIDS to achieve housing stability. This funding is critical to providing needed services to persons living with a debilitating disease. It offers hope to thousands of individuals and families at risk of living on our streets."

These grants were part of the $33 million HUD awarded today that will keep 1,200 extremely low-income persons living with HIV/AIDS housed.

Many of the projects receiving renewed funding provide for specialized models in outreach and service delivery, including efforts that target help to persons who have been homeless or at extreme risk of becoming homelessness. These grants offer innovations in HIV care to increase job readiness and employment opportunities for persons in stabilized care. The grants announced today also support the Opening Doors (www.usich.gov/PDF/OpeningDoors_2010_FSPPreventEndHomeless.pdf), the Obama Administration's new strategic plan to prevent and end homelessness.

In addressing goals under these strategies, HUD will contribute a variety of housing resources to promote better integration of housing interventions into comprehensive HIV care systems. Housing assistance and related services funded by HOPWA are an essential part of the comprehensive system of care for low-income persons living with HIV/AIDS. A stable home environment is also vital for these households in allowing them to access consistent medical care and maintain their health. Furthermore, secure housing can be a platform for improved quality of life.

Ninety percent of HOPWA funds are distributed by formula to cities and states based on the number of AIDS cases reported to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. HUD's formula grants are managed by 135 local and state jurisdictions, which coordinate AIDS housing efforts with other HUD and community resources. Earlier this year, HUD awarded these jurisdictions nearly $300 million in formula grants. This year, HUD had made available a total of $332 million in HOPWA funds to help communities provide housing for this special needs population. Overall, these resources assist over 60,000 households annually to provide stable housing and reduced risks of homelessness for those living with HIV and other challenges.

Additional information about the Montana grantee:

The State of Montana, Department of Public Health and Human Services, is awarded a HOPWA permanent supportive housing renewal grant of $1,482,040 to continue the "Tri-State HELP Plus" program which provides tenant-based rental assistance to 62 households within the states of Montana, North Dakota, and South Dakota. This program will continue to serve annually 18 households with short-term rent, mortgage, and utility assistance to prevent homelessness, 23 households with permanent housing placement (PHP) assistance, and 148 households with supportive services to foster connections to needed services to maintain housing stability. This unique collaboration involves a partnership with four project sponsor organizations: the Missoula AIDS Council, Yellowstone AIDS Project, Sioux Falls Housing and Redevelopment Commission for South Dakota activities, and Community Action Program Region VII for North Dakota activities. This effort will continue to serve a predominantly rural population within a range of housing options while fostering connections to self-sufficiency through the provision of employment opportunities.

For more information contact:
Ms. Barbara Watson, Tri-State HELP/HOPWA Program Coordinator
1400 Carter Drive, P.O. Box 202956, Helena, MT 59601
Phone: (406) 994-7517
Email: bwatson@montana.edu

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