Housing Opportunities for People With AIDS (HOPWA)
Grantee and Community Profile
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The Statewide HOPWA program is administered by the SC Department of Health and Environmental Control (DHEC), STD/HIV Division. DHEC distributes the funds to regional Ryan White Care Providers and/or eligible non-profit organizations that assist persons with HIV/AIDS.
South Carolina has experienced a 77% increase of all persons living with HIV/AIDS from 1995 to 2005. More dramatic, there has been over a 100% increase in the number of women living at the end of 2005 compared with the number living in 1995.
The increase in the number of women during this time means we have experienced increased demands for health care and housing services. As of December 31, 2006, there were an estimated 14,039 persons living with HIV/AIDS in the state. Forty three percent of persons living with HIV are estimated to be unemployed, although women are more likely than men to be unemployed (45% vs. 41%). Nearly half of women living with HIV/AIDS (42%) earn less than $10,000 annually.
Program Accomplishments
The Statewide Comprehensive Plan developed in 2006 identified the following housing issues:
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barriers - the high cost of quality, safe, decent housing and stigma
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gaps - lack of quality, safe, affordable housing (rural and urban); lack of extended care housing options accepting HIV patients; lack of in-patient hospice
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needs - continuum of housing options including transitional, supportive, in-patient hospice and long term; emergency housing, temporary shelter
HOPWA funds are used to provide short-term emergency housing payments (STRMU) and supportive services to prevent homelessness, tenant based rental assistance (TBRA), and operating funds for transitional housing. During FY 2006-2007, 113 households were served with TBRA; over 1500 households received STRMU and other supportive services such as case management or transportation. Sixteen households resided in units supported with HOPWA operating funds and twelve households resided in units of housing developed with HOPWA funds during the last ten years and continue to house individuals living with HIV/AIDS. Case management is an important component of South Carolina's HOPWA continuum of care. Trends in the epidemic indicate that over the next 5 -10 years there is an urgent need for more affordable housing on a long term basis, particularly housing in areas that provide a safe, healthy environment for families or women with children.
The project sponsors of the state South Carolina HOPWA program are:
- City of Greenville AID Upstate and Piedmont Care
- AID Upstate
- Catawba Care Coalition
- Cooperative Ministry
- Fort Mill Housing Services, Inc.
- HopeHealth PeeDee
- HopeHealth Edisto
- HopeHealth Lower Savannah
- ACCESS Network
- Upper Savannah Care Consortium
- CARETEAM
- Sumter Family Health Center
- Wateree County Health Department
- University of South Carolina Department of Medicine
To download a printable version of this information, please click here. (pdf)
Technical Assistance for Service Providers