Durham council approves Consolidated Plan amendments after residents urge housing-first approach for people with HIV

Durham City Council on April 7 unanimously approved proposed substantive amendments to the city’s Consolidated Plan and related annual action plans to reallocate Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) and Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS (HOPWA) funds after an extended public hearing.

The amendments — presented by assistant director Tania Coleman and staff from the Department of Community Development — were the subject of nearly two hours of testimony from service providers and residents who urged a “housing-first” emphasis and said current administrative arrangements and funding practices limit community partners’ ability to deliver services.

“Stable housing reduces harm and saves lives,” said Hailey Cunningham, an infectious-disease physician who spoke at the hearing. “We’re tired of seeing people in our community die because of lack of adequate services.”

Speakers at the hearing included Tiffany Sup of Grace Inc., Caroline Hilton of Hilton Healthcare, Christopher Grey (vice president, Cornwallis community), and other members of a local coalition seeking greater role and resources for community organizations that serve people with HIV. Testimony detailed rising local HIV rates, unmet housing needs and gaps in outreach and care coordination.

City staff described the mechanics behind the proposed changes and the next steps. Maggie, a staff member in the Department of Community Development, told the council that a competitive request for proposals (RFP) tied to HOPWA funds is open now and will close May 21; staff also described limits on administrative allocations. “The administration for projects is 7 percent,” Maggie said, noting that federal rules set eligible uses and that the city is seeking ways to reduce barriers for smaller community partners.

Maggie said staff expects to use a competitive, three-year funding cycle and to seek outside consulting support to coordinate multi-county service delivery. She also told council members that recent years have not produced material recaptured HOPWA funds in the current reporting period; staff noted one smaller recapture earlier in the decade but said no large recaptures have occurred in recent years.

Council members pressed staff on performance indicators and whether the amended plan’s goals would capture the local need. Staff said HUD-prescribed indicators drive reporting and that the amendments add or correct goal fields so the city can report beneficiaries accurately when performance is measured.

After the public hearing concluded, a motion to adopt the amendments as printed carried unanimously.

The council vote sends the amended Consolidated Plan and annual action plans into effect for the city’s HUD-funded programs and clears the way for the competitive HOPWA solicitation and further work with community partners. Staff said the competitive process will prioritize capacity-building and will include outreach to the local coalition that testified.

The council did not specify individual grant awards at the meeting; allocation and awards will follow the competitive process and staff recommendation.