Housing Program

Program Purpose/Goals:

Oregon Housing Opportunities in Partnership (OHOP) Program is a project created to provide a continuum of housing and related supportive services opportunities for people living with HIV/AIDS and their families. OHOP is available throughout Lane County and in all other Oregon counties that are outside of the Portland metropolitan statistical area. OHOP is a partnership between multiple state agencies, including the Department of Human Services Public Health Division, Oregon Housing and Community Services, and the Oregon Department of Corrections and several community-based agencies, including HIV Alliance.

Services:

Four OHOP housing coordinators work with HIV case managers throughout the state to help eligible clients and their families:

  • Locate and/or secure suitable housing
  • Identify other related community based resources that may be available to clients
  • Provide information and referral to those resources
  • Provide tenant based rental assistance through rental subsidy payments

FAQ's:

Q: Who is eligible for OHOP?

A: People who are interested in receiving OHOP assistance should contact their HIV case manager(s) to learn more about program eligibility requirements. Generally, eligible individuals must:

  • have low or no income
  • be homeless or at risk of becoming homeless
  • be actively engaged in ongoing HIV case management services

Q: What kind of rental assistance can OHOP provide?

A: Eligible individuals complete a program intake with an OHOP housing coordinator. At intake, and periodically thereafter, the OHOP housing coordinator will work with clients to determine the amounts of rental assistance each client is qualified to receive. Generally, OHOP can assist clients with:

  • move-in costs (security deposits, cleaning fees, etc.)
  • limited utility assistance
  • short-term or ongoing monthly rental assistance to help clients pay a portion (or sometimes all) of clients' rent

OHOP cannot assist clients with application fees, utility payments, mortgage assistance, or other non-housing-related needs. Clients should work with their HIV case manager(s) to address these needs.

Q: Where can OHOP clients live?

A: If OHOP clients need assistance finding suitable, stable rental housing, OHOP housing coordinators will work with them to do so. If clients are already in suitable, stable rental housing, OHOP housing coordinators are often able to work with clients to help them remain there. Generally, clients must locate and/or maintain rental housing that:

  • meets minimum housing quality standards defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD)
  • rents at or below HUD-established fair market rent prices for the household size and residence area
  • is owned or managed by an individual or property management company who is willing to work with OHOP

Q: Is there a waiting period?

A: Unfortunately, yes.  There is a state-wide waiting list for this program.  It may take a while to get approved for financial services.  Clients shouldn't hesitate to get on other waitlists, which have different services and eligibilities (Section 8, St. Vincent DePaul, HASCA).

Links:

For more information on OHOP, see the program summary at the OHOP program web site.

Contacts:

If you are a potential client in Lane County and interested in more information regarding the program, contact any of the HIV Care Coordinators at the HIV Alliance.

If you are a potential client living outside of Lane County and interested in more information regarding OHOP, contact the HIV Case Manager(s) in your county. If you need help finding a HIV Case Manager in your county, call the Oregon Department of Human Services HIV Care and Treatment Program office at 1-800-805-2313 or see the full list of HIV case management agencies by county at the DHS HIV Care and Treatment Program website. Follow the link that says “Find A Case Manager.”)