Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS

Please be advised effective July 1, 2020, the City of Lowell is no longer managing the Housing Opportunities for People with Aids (HOPWA)  grant.  The HOPWA funds have been transferred to the City of Cambridge, MA.  

Should you require assistance please email:

Robert Keller
Elizabeth Mengers
Betty Lyons

Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA) Program

Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) funds are dedicated to providing housing assistance and related supportive services for low-income persons with HIV/AIDS and their families. General service categories are rental assistance such as Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) and/or emergency housing assistance, group housing, support services and operating costs.

Formula Allocations

The HOPWA program includes formula allocations to States and metropolitan areas with the largest number of cases of AIDS. The City of Lowell has been awarded a formula allocation for the service area of Middlesex County and the Department of Planning and Development (DPD) will award the Middlesex County allocation of HOPWA funds directly to project sponsors.

These organizations must demonstrate expertise in providing eligible housing and related supportive services to low-income persons with HIV/AIDS and their families and who:

• Satisfactorily provide evidence of their capacity to provide services and administer funds in accordance with applicable federal, state and local guidelines and statutory requirements, and
• Have a documented need within the proposed service area.

Program Details

Organizations must be tax exempt under section 501 (c)(3) of the 1954 Internal Revenue Service Code and meet the statutory definition of a non-profit organization, i.e., the agency (i) is organized under State or local laws; (ii) has no part of its net earnings inuring to the benefit of any member, founder, contributor, or individual; (iii) complies with standards of financial accountability acceptable to the Secretary; and (iv) has among its purpose significant activities related to providing services or housing to persons with acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) or related diseases. HUD interprets the use of "related diseases" in this definition to include HIV infection.

Additionally, the organization must meet all applicable federal, state and local statutory requirements including but not limited to those set forth in Code of Federal Regulations 24 (CFR), Parts 50 and 574, as well as applicable administrative and accounting standards as set forth in Office of Management and Budget (OMB) Circulars including A-87, A-102, A-110, and A-122.