Statement from Deputy Secretary Adrianne Todman in Recognition of World AIDS Day

"On this World AIDS Day, I feel it is necessary to once again stress the importance the role housing plays in the health of those living with HIV/AIDS. Research has shown us time and again that stable housing positively impacts this community greatly. Housing helps facilitate access to care and enables people to prioritize their health. It is also shown to help in HIV/AIDS prevention," said HUD Deputy Secretary Adrianne Todman.

"We know that nearly half of Americans living with HIV face housing instability and homelessness. That is why I take great pride in what HUD has done to cater programming to the special needs of this community. We recognize the unique challenges and barriers faced by those stricken with this disease, particularly in housing access and affordability. I am also proud to be part of an administration that has created an ambitious plan to tackle the epidemic head on."

HUD has taken a number of actions to help those with HIV/AIDS live fuller and healthier lives:

National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS)

• The updated National HIV/AIDS Strategy (NHAS) (https://files.hiv.gov/s3fs-public/NHAS-2022-2025.pdf), which was released by President Biden last year on World AIDS Day 2021, continues to provide a roadmap for the nation to accelerate our efforts to end the HIV epidemic in the U.S. by 2030. HUD is represented in the August 2022 release of the White House's companion NHAS Federal Implementation Plan (https://files.hiv.gov/s3fs-public/2022-09/NHAS_Federal_Implementation_Plan.pdf), which reflects the collaborative work of representatives from 10 federal departments and details more than 380 action items they will implement individually and collaboratively to move the strategy's indicators of progress in the right direction.
• A new housing indicator was added to NHAS Federal Implementation Plan (https://files.hiv.gov/s3fs-public/2022-09/NHAS_Federal_Implementation_Plan.pdf) HUD is working department-wide and with federal partners on actions to reduce unstable housing or homelessness.
• HUD Actions in support of the (National HIV/AIDS Strategy) NHAS goals include:
  • Distribute HIV prevention information to residents in HUD-assisted housing;
  • Identify and disseminate best practices and expand local coordination in HIV "clusters" and "outbreaks" where homelessness or unstable housing have been identified as compounding factors;
  • Ensure racial and LGBTQ+ equity in access to HOPWA housing & services;
  • Incentivize communities to address inequities
  • Increase the level of engagement in program planning among people with lived experiences of HIV, homelessness, and housing instability;
  • Coordinate on a targeted initiative for youth in HUD-assisted housing programs

The Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program

• The Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program is the only federal program dedicated to providing housing for low-income people living with HIV and their families. The HOPWA program was established back in 1992 to provide communities with resources and incentives for devising long-term strategies to develop a range of housing assistance and supportive services for low-income people living with HIV and their families to overcome key barriers to stable housing such as affordability and discrimination. With the advancements in HIV care and treatment, the purpose of the Office of HIV/AIDS Housing and the HOPWA program is to utilize housing as a structural intervention in ending the HIV epidemic.
• The Office of HIV/AIDS Housing estimates that the number of low-income people living with HIV in the US that are eligible for, but not currently accessing services under the HOPWA program, is between 350,000 and 418,000.
• Other HUD programs such as the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program and Continuum of Care (CoC) are also important housing resources that can be accessed regardless of HIV status. Housing provides a foundation to help people connected with appropriate HIV treatment or prevention services.

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