In San Diego, thousands of individuals living with HIV/AIDS are currently on a waitlist for housing assistance vouchers, creating an urgent and pressing situation.
The Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program is a vital federal initiative providing housing aid specifically for low-income individuals affected by HIV/AIDS and their families.
This program, funded through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, aims to alleviate housing insecurity among this vulnerable population.
However, due to high housing costs, a limited supply of affordable housing, and insufficient funding for housing assistance programs, many applicants have found themselves waiting for an opportunity to receive aid, according to Tim McClain, a spokesperson for San Diego County.
Over the past five years, the waitlist for HOPWA rental assistance has grown by approximately 15% each year.
The program, while it also provides some services, particularly focuses on tenant-based rental assistance vouchers that many people are anxiously awaiting.
Unlike the more general Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher, for which the average wait time spans 12 to 15 years, HOPWA recipients must present a medical diagnosis of HIV or AIDS.
In 2024, the county allocated funds to support 130 rental assistance vouchers, but with the current demand, the number of available vouchers has reached capacity, leading to a backlog of new applicants.
The last selection of new applicants from the waitlist occurred in October 2023, creating a significant lag in assistance for those in need.
To optimize resource allocation, the joint City and County HIV Housing Committee holds advisory meetings, with members who have experience living with HIV/AIDS.
In a recent meeting held on July 16, the committee decided to prioritize the preservation of existing services by allocating 80% of the budget to housing and 20% to support services, which include utility assistance and home-delivered meals for those experiencing HIV symptoms.
Unfortunately, the committee has also voted to freeze the distribution of new rental vouchers due to a lack of increased funding.
While funding for HOPWA has seen some growth—going from $2.8 million a decade ago to $6.4 million in 2024—the pace of this growth has started to slow, creating challenges for local service providers.
Stacey Drew, director of supportive services at Townspeople, a local nonprofit that assists those experiencing homelessness alongside chronic medical conditions like HIV/AIDS, noted the impact of rising inflation on their operations.
With increased costs, Townspeople has been forced to reduce the number of individuals they can help through their emergency housing program—from serving around 120 people annually to just 90.
The organization provides emergency vouchers that typically fund a 30-day stay in local hotels; however, rising hotel rates have limited the program’s reach.
Another service provider, Christine Perez, who works as an HIV case manager at Stepping Stone—a key provider in the county—describes the current HOPWA situation as unreliable for clients, especially in light of anticipated budget cuts.
Stepping Stone aims to support the LGBTQ+ community with various services, including substance abuse treatment and housing assistance, but Perez has noted that the decrease in HOPWA vouchers has prompted the organization to seek alternative funding avenues to help clients secure permanent housing.
In 2016, San Diego County launched the Getting to Zero initiative, aimed at ending the HIV epidemic through increased testing, improved access to treatment, and the establishment of prevention strategies.
Despite positive initiatives, San Diego County’s new HIV infection rates were reportedly outpacing those of Los Angeles County in 2022.
As of 2024, around 15,035 individuals were living with HIV in San Diego County, with 437 new cases recorded that year.
Research has shown that stable housing plays a crucial role in reducing the spread of HIV: individuals with housing are more likely to receive timely diagnoses and enter treatment quickly while also minimizing their risk of transmitting the virus.
Unfortunately, many individuals on the HOPWA waitlist find housing unattainable without specific assistance.
Danni Hickey, executive director of Fraternity House, a local organization serving those seeking housing services, pointed out that most individuals seeking their help are extremely low-income and often unable to work due to chronic disabilities.
Hickey emphasizes the connection between housing stability and healthcare, stating, “Housing is health care.”
For many residents, without a manageable means to affordable housing outside of available programs, their path forward remains precariously uncertain.
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