As the Winston-Salem metro area has grown, so has the number of people living with HIV/AIDS (PLHV) in our community. In 2021, the City of Winston-Salem received a direct grant from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) in the amount of $710,304 to administer Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) funds to assist low-income PLHV.

These funds are dedicated to establishing secure housing and facilitating access to the healthcare necessary to maintain low viral loads and ensuring that clients’ HIV remains non-transmissible. 

Previously, the State of North Carolina was responsible for administering HOPWA in the area. However, due to various changes in our region, including an increase in the number of PLHV, HUD determined that the City of Winston-Salem would become an entitlement Participating Jurisdiction. This allows the City to receive and administer HOPWA funding in the area.    

The City is partnering with the Positive Wellness Alliance (PWA), a dedicated non-profit working to improve the lives of PLHV in our area, to deliver HOPWA-funded essential services across Forsyth, Stokes, Yadkin, Davie, and Davidson Counties. PWA’s mission is to “provide services, support, and community to improve the quality of life of people living with and affected by HIV/AIDS."

Data from the 2020 North Carolina HIV Surveillance Report show the statewide prevalence of HIV, based on county populations.

HOPWA Core Services

The following services are provided to each eligible participant in HOPWA: 

1. Tenant-Based Rental Assistance (TBRA): Funding is provided to an eligible client to allow them to exercise housing unit choice. Upon leaving the unit, the contract with the landlord terminates and the client’s assistance is then transferred to a new housing option.

2. Short-Term Rent, Mortgage and Utility Assistance (STRMU): This component is intended to serve as immediate assistance paid to a landlord, mortgage or utility company on behalf of an eligible HOPWA client at imminent risk of experiencing homelessness and/or utility disconnections.

3. Permanent Housing Placement (PHP): PHP is an activity that assists clients and their families with establishing permanent residence with the goal of continued, stable occupancy.

Eligible activities include:

• Housing referrals and tenant counseling
• Costs associated with housing placement, including application fees, credit check expenses, first month’s rent and security deposit, and utility connection fees/processing costs

HOPWA Participant Eligibility

HOPWA provides assistance for individuals and households that:

• Have medical documentation of an HIV/AIDS diagnosis
• Have household income not exceeding 80% of the area median income (AMI) in the Winston-Salem MSA
• Are residents of the EMSA of Forsyth, Davies, Davidson, Yadkin, and Stokes Counties