The goal of the HOPWA program is to provide housing assistance to eligible households, and to stabilize participants in their housing.
To achieve this goal, it is vital to assess participants’ housing and service needs and create individualized plans to meet these needs,
identify and build on participants’ strengths and resources, and help participants overcome barriers.
Comprehensive assessments would include information regarding the nature and stability of the household’s current housing situation,
evaluating current barriers to housing stability, and tracking recent housing history. Housing plans for stability would address
the household’s barriers to stability, including the referral to mainstream resources and both HOPWA and non-HOPWA housing assistance.
Client records should track progress towards meeting stability goals. During monitoring, grantees should review participant files to determine
that assessments thoroughly consider a household’s barriers to stability, that short- and long-term housing plans are developed
to respond to those needs, and that households are referred to appropriate housing and service resources needed to attain stability.