HUD partners with HHS to provide free at-home COVID-19 test kits to Section 202 Elderly Properties

On December 22, 2022, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) announced that Owners of Section 202 elderly properties may register with the Administration for Strategic Preparedness and Response (ASPR) at the Health Partner Ordering Portal (HPOP) and request weekly shipments of COVID-19 test kits to be delivered to their property for distribution. This registration site is now open for all Section 202 Elderly properties.  Click the link to register: https://vpop.cdc.gov/selfservice/register.

Testing supplies will be requested using an online ordering system known as the “Health Partner Ordering Portal” (HPOP).  Distribution sites (Section 202 Elderly properties) must register in order to begin ordering test kits. Note: The project address must be used in the registration process as test kits will only be delivered to the project. Only organizations identified as HUD Multifamily Housing Properties that are Section 202 Elderly Projects will be able to access the site and order test kits. The Section 202 elderly project’s iREMS number is required to be entered in the “State ID” field when registering the project. This will clearly identify the property and will expedite the registration approval process. However, test kits shipped to these locations can and should be shared with organizations who partner with them to provide services and supports to individuals with disabilities, older adults and their caregivers and household members. After completing HPOP registration and this registration being approved by HUD, Section 202 elderly properties will have the ability to order an amount of test kits that they determine that they will be able to store and distribute without waste. Orders will be input on a weekly basis. Distribution sites should only order an amount of test kits that they estimate that they will be able to distribute in a 1-week period.

Ordering: Minimum is 1 package, or 45 test kits (there are 2 tests per test kit).  Maximum is 2,000 packages, or 90,000 test kits. Plan for weekly ordering cadence.   Deliveries: Expect within 7-10 calendar days of order submission. Section 202 elderly properties will be able to track their orders via the HPOP system.  Storage: Test kits storage: Room temperature (15-25◦C/59-77◦F). Test kits shelf-life extension: 16 months. This registration process may begin immediately. HUD will provide a training session in early January for owners who need additional information to complete the registration process.   Questions related to the HPOP registration process can be sent to: Systems Access Issues, Tier 1 Helpdesk, COVID-19 Administration Reporting System (CARS) Help Desk: Email: CARS_HelpDesk@cdc.gov Phone: 1-833-748-1979 8:00 AM to 8:00 PM ET, Monday-Friday

Instructions on how to register and order test kits can be found here. Additional information on the slides located here.

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