Indiana

  • State Data Overview

    Across Indiana, there is a shortage of rental homes affordable and available to extremely low income households (ELI), whose incomes are at or below the poverty guideline or 30% of their area median income (AMI). Many of these households are severely cost burdened, spending more than half of their income on housing. Severely cost burdened poor households are more likely than other renters to sacrifice other necessities like healthy food and healthcare to pay the rent, and to experience unstable housing situations like evictions.

    K
    e
    y
    F
    a
    c
    t
    s
    209,710
    Or
    26%
    Renter households that are extremely low income
    -139,318
    Shortage of rental homes affordable and available for extremely low income renters
    $28,390
    Average income limit for 4-person extremely low income household
    $39,526
    Annual household income needed to afford a two-bedroom rental home at HUD's Fair Market Rent.
    76%
    Percent of extremely low income renter households with severe cost burden
  • State Level Partners

    NLIHC Housing Advocacy Organizer

    Gabby Ross
    State Partners

    Prosperity Indiana 

    1099 North Meridian Street, Suite 170

    Indianapolis, IN 46204

    P 317-222-1221

    F 317-454-8534

    Website: www.prosperityindiana.org

    Andrew Bradley, Policy Director
    [email protected]

    Become an NLIHC State Partner

    NLIHC’s affiliation with our state coalition partners is central to our advocacy efforts. Although our partners' involvement varies, they are all housing and homeless advocacy organizations engaged at the state and federal level. Many are traditional coalitions with a range of members; others are local organizations that serve more informally as NLIHC's point of contact.

    Inquire about becoming a state partner by contacting [email protected]

    Become a Member
  • Housing Trust Fund
    HTF Implementation Information

    NLIHC continues working with leaders in each state and the District of Columbia who will mobilize advocates in support of HTF allocation plans that benefit ELI renters to the greatest extent possible. Please contact the point person coordinating with NLIHC in your state (below) to find out about the public participation process and how you can be involved. Email Sidney Betancourt with any questions.

    NHTF logo
    Current Year HTF Allocation
    NLIHC Point Person for HTF Advocacy

    Andrew Bradley
    Policy Director
    317-222-1221 x403
    [email protected]

    State Designated Entity:

    J. Jacob Sipe

    Executive Director

    Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority

    317-233-1811

    [email protected]

    Official Directly Involved with HTF Implementation:
  • Resources
    Resources

    Housing Profiles

    State Housing Profile

    State Housing Profile: Indiana (PDF) (JPG)

    Congressional District Housing Profile

    Congressional District Profile: Indiana (PDF)

    Research and Data

    National Housing Preservation Database

    The National Housing Preservation Database is an address-level inventory of federally assisted rental housing in the United States.

    Out of Reach: The High Cost of Housing

    Out of Reach documents the gap between renters’ wages and the cost of rental housing. In Indiana and Nationwide

    The Gap: A Shortage of Affordable Rental Homes

    The Gap represents data on the affordable housing supply and housing cost burdens at the national, state, and metropolitan levels. In Indiana and Nationwide

  • Take Action
    Urge Congress to Enact Historic Housing Investments!
    Urge Congress to Pass a Budget with Increased Investments in Affordable Homes
  • COVID-19 Resources
    COVID-19 Resources

    NLIHC has estimated a need for no less than $100 billion in emergency rental assistance and broke down the need and cost for each state (download Excel spreadsheet). 

    In response to COVID-19 and its economic fallout, many cities and states are creating or expanding rental assistance programs to support individuals and families impacted by the pandemic, and NLIHC is tracking in-depth information on these programs.  

    You can use the interactive map and searchable database to find state and local emergency rental assistance programs near you. You can also see the latest news on rental assistance programs through the state-by-state news tracker. Note that this is not a comprehensive list of all rental assistance programs as we continue to update frequently. If you are aware of a program not included in our database, please contact [email protected]

    COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Programs

    Across the country, homeless service providers are struggling to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to follow public health guidelines and help ensure people’s safety, some shelters are being forced to reduce services, restrict admittance, or close entirely. The loss of these critical resources puts people experiencing homelessness at even higher risk of illness. Check NLIHC's cumulative list of shelter closings.

    Below is a list of shelters that have had to majorly alter services or completely close:


    No information at this time.

    The Hoosier Housing Needs Coalition released a report finding that low rates of emergency rental assistance distribution, poor demographic data reporting, and inequitable results combined with ongoing high eviction filing rates across the state will leave Hoosier households vulnerable to eviction. The policy brief urges Indiana’s courts and state, local, and federal policymakers to commit to an “all of the above” housing stability strategy. Fox 59 reports on the coalition’s report.

    Allen County was selected for the National Center for State Courts’ Eviction Diversion Initiative and will receive a $164,000 grant to reduce evictions in Fort Wayne. The Allen County Superior Court will use the grant to hire dedicated staff to help create different strategies for preventing evictions. “Building a dedicated Eviction Diversion Initiative will benefit tenants and landlords, keep more people in their homes, and diminish the profound impact on lives that can result from a loss of housing,” said Allen Superior Court Chief Judge Jennifer DeGroote.

    Updated on June 14, 2022


    The Indiana Supreme Court implemented a pre-eviction diversion program on November 1 to help landlords and tenants access federal rental assistance. Some advocates and officials are concerned that landlords will decide to proceed with the eviction process rather than utilize the pre-eviction diversion options. According to WBBA public radio, 6,000 eviction cases have been filed in Indiana since the federal eviction moratorium ended. 

    Updated on November 22, 2021


    A new pre-eviction diversion program mandated by the Indiana Supreme Court launched in the Howard County courthouse last week. According to Howard County Magistrate Cheyenne Shepherd, renters have been eager to use the new program, but landlords have not been as enthusiastic.

    Updated on November 15, 2021


    The Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA) will accept applications from renters in all 92 counties for the Indiana Supreme Court’s Eviction Diversion Program. Landlords and renters who choose to participate in the program can select from two options: to participate through IHCDA or their local emergency rental assistance program, if applicable. All available programs in Indiana are accessible through IndianaHousingNow.org.

    Updated on November 8, 2021


    The Indiana Supreme Court announced a new pre-eviction diversion program for trial courts to help tenants and landlords access federal rent relief more quickly. Learn more about the program, which will go into effect on November 1, in the court’s order. The program was recommended by the Indiana Eviction Task Force in its interim report released on October 18. Advocates report seeing eviction court dockets in Indiana increase since the federal eviction moratorium ended in August. An estimated 65,000 evictions were filed in Indiana since the start of the pandemic, with 1,600 filed in the last four weeks.

    An Indy Star analysis of more than 11,000 eviction filings in Marion County from January through September 2021 found that evictions in Indianapolis are driven by a small number of corporate landlords. Corporate landlords filed 88% of all evictions in the city, with many of the companies based outside of Indiana and taking advantage of the state’s easy-to-evict policies.

    Updated on November 03, 2021


    Two Indianapolis state representatives sent a letter to Governor Eric Holcomb urging him to accelerate the state’s distribution of federal emergency rental assistance (ERA). The letter highlights the importance of spending the remaining $544 million in federal ERA before funding expires and will be at risk of being recaptured by the federal government.

    The Indianapolis Star outlines how Hoosiers can apply for federal emergency rental assistance.

    An op-ed in the Indy Star argues that Indiana’s eviction court system is rigged, with landlords’ rights enshrined in the system. Monroe County established a pre-eviction diversion program to slow down the eviction process and provide more time for rental assistance to reach tenants. The program lasted one week before the Indiana Office of Court Services for the Supreme Court suggested it would not make it a mandatory program. 

    Updated on October 19, 2021


    The Indianapolis Star reports that as thousands face eviction across the state, Indiana state lawmakers sent a letter to Governor Eric Holcomb urging him to accelerate the distribution of much-needed emergency rental assistance (ERA). Indiana fell short of a federal deadline to obligate at least 65% of ERA by September 30 or risk Treasury recapturing the funds. According to Eviction Lab data, there were over 1,000 evictions filed in Indianapolis during each of the past two weeks.

    Updated on October 13, 2021


    After the federal eviction moratorium ended on August 26, Indiana has experienced a spike in eviction filings. Indiana’s eviction filings have jumped 22% above the pre-pandemic average since early September. Federal funds have been slow to reach tenants, and some landlords are choosing to evict rather than wait for rental assistance.

    Updated on October 5, 2021


    The Indiana Supreme Court established a statewide task force to address the surge of evictions following the end of the federal eviction moratorium. According to Chief Justice Loretta Rush, the nine-member task force will release recommendations in one month on implementing an eviction diversion program and speeding the distribution of rent relief.

    Updated on September 21, 2021


    The Herald-Times reports that after the U.S. Department of Justice and National Center for State Courts urged states and localities to develop eviction prevention programs. Monroe County Circuit Judge Catherine Stafford, along with other officials and advocates, created the county’s eviction diversion program. The Monroe Circuit Court is requiring landlords to complete an eviction diversion affidavit and send it to the tenant at least 20 days before filing for eviction. If the tenant agrees to move forward with the program, the landlord can select either of two free mediation programs: Community Justice and Mediation Center or the Indiana Landlord and Tenant Settlement Conference Program

    Despite the new CDC eviction moratorium, eviction filings in St. Joseph County are rising to near pre-pandemic levels. The county’s housing issues were not created by the COVID-19 pandemic but stem from a pre-existing shortage of affordable housing. 

    Indianapolis is expanding a new pilot program to provide legal aid throughout Marion County’s township small claims courts where eviction proceedings are heard. The city plans to use about $800,000 to $900,000 of American Rescue Plan Act resources to fund the pilot program for one year. 
    Updated on August 30, 2021


    Andrew Bradley, policy director for Prosperity Indiana, says more than 45,000 evictions have been filed in Indiana during the pandemic, including nearly 16,000 in the Indianapolis metropolitan area. Indiana housing advocates are in a race against the clock to help Hoosiers struggling to pay their rent.
    Updated on July 15, 2021


    Prosperity Indiana co-released with the Indiana Institute for Working Families and Indiana Youth Institute, Policy Brief: A Year in Review: Housing Instability Trends for Hoosier Families and Counties Most Affected by COVID-19. Data show that Hoosier renter households are increasingly unable to make their housing payments. The brief outlines local, state, and federal policy recommendations to ensure federal resources reach the households most in need.

    Prosperity Indiana also published an overview of Indiana's Emergency Rental Assistance (ERA) Programs, “Indiana’s Emergency Rental Assistance: Program Outlines and Recommendations for Equitable Outcomes.” The overview reviews the requirements of Indiana’s six local ERA programs and one statewide ERA program and provides recommendations on maximizing the equity and efficiency of ERA programs.
    Updated on June 4, 2021


    The Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority announced it will begin accepting applications for the Indiana Emergency Rental Assistance (IERA) program after receiving the updated guidance from the Treasury Department. 

    Hamilton County is bracing for an anticipated surge of evictions when the federal eviction moratorium expires. The county’s pre-existing affordable housing crisis will exacerbate the impacts of the COVID-19 pandemic and economic fallout on low-income renters.  

    Updated on March 08, 2021


    Indiana lawmakers voted to overturn Governor Eric Holcomb’s veto of Senate Bill 148 and immediately enact the measure. The new law gives landlords the right to bring expedited eviction actions against tenants for nonpayment of rent and eliminates local rental regulations. Critics of the law say it is unconscionable for Republican lawmakers to attack local tenant protections while 720,000 Hoosiers are currently at risk of eviction amid the ongoing pandemic.

    Updated on March 01, 2021


    Indiana housing advocates are protesting a bill that could increase evictions. The Indiana General Assembly is set to vote on February 8 to override Governor Eric Holcomb’s veto of Senate Bill 148. The bill would prevent individual cities from taking action on landlord and tenant matters, including expedited evictions and rental property regulations. Housing advocates, including Prosperity Indiana, believe the bill is a public health threat, noting that it is more important than ever for families to have access to safe and affordable housing.

    There are bipartisan concerns that an Indiana bill that would allow landlords to apply for the state’s COVID-19 rental assistance program on behalf of their tenants could prevent renters from receiving aid. A woman facing eviction whose landlord denied rental assistance through the  Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority says the proposed bill puts “the power in the landlords hands yet again.”

    Updated on February 17, 2021


    As of November, housing assistance was the state’s top unmet need and the second reason Hoosiers called Indiana 211.

    Updated on January 15, 2021


    The Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority posted its COVID-19 Rental Assistance progress report, which provides information on the state’s COVID-19 Rental Assistance Program and the Emergency Solutions Grant CARES Act (ESG-CV) rental assistance program.

    Updated on November 30, 2020


    Fort Wayne is likely to experience waves of evictions amid the ongoing pandemic and economic fallout. In 2016, Fort Wayne had the 13th highest eviction rate in the country, and the pandemic will likely exacerbate the city’s housing crisis. 

    Updated on November 10, 2020


    On behalf of the Hoosier Housing Needs Coalition, Andrew Bradley of Prosperity Indiana and Laura Berry, president of the Board of Directors of the Indiana Balance of State Continuum of Care, co-authored a blog post expressing concern that restrictions on Indiana’s reopened Rental Assistance Portal will prevent Hoosiers from accessing much-needed resources. 

    Interested in learning more about how eviction continues to take a toll on renters in Indiana’s most vulnerable communities? Hear from local experts about Hoosiers’ experience with eviction, eviction’s role within the larger landscape of housing insecurity, and the legal implications of eviction in Indiana. Register for part one of the Hoosier Housing Needs Coalition’s three-part webinar series, “Evicted in Indiana.”

    Updated on October 26, 2020


    Indiana’s Rental Assistance Portal has re-opened and is accepting applications for the first time since closing in August. The program is now being funded through Emergency Solutions Grants – Coronavirus (ESG-CV). General information about the ESG-CV rental assistance program can be found here.

    Updated on October 19, 2020


    Bloomberg City Lab examines Indianapolis’ evidence-based approach in its immediate COVID-19 response and its steps toward a long-term plan to ensure all residents have safe, stable, permanent housing.

    Updated on October 14, 2020


    Prosperity Indiana, an NLIHC state partner, reiterated calls for the state to establish a coordinated COVID-19 Housing Stability policy response in its submitted comments to the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority on the proposed use of Emergency Solutions Grant – Coronavirus (ESG-CV) Round 2 funds.

    Loyola Law School professor Davida Finger analyzed more than 500 eviction filings in New Orleans from June to August, after Louisiana’s statewide moratorium expired, and found more than half were filed in neighborhoods where Black people comprise at least 80% of the population. The review also finds that it is primarily property managers of large complexes who are filing evictions.

    Updated on September 29, 2020


    Monroe County judges and attorneys are concerned that the CDC moratorium will not prevent evictions and are scrambling to determine how the federal ban applies locally.

    Updated on September 22, 2020


    The Indy Star reports that despite the CDC eviction moratorium, Central Indiana is bracing for a surge of COVID-19-related evictions. Experts estimate 313,000 Hoosiers representing 42% of all renters are at risk of losing their homes when the moratorium ends. 

    The Hoosier Housing Needs Coalition released an article providing information about the CDC eviction moratorium, including NLIHC resources and a flyer from Prosperity Indiana

    The Indiana Supreme Court launched the Landlord and Tenant Settlement Conference Program to provide a free avenue for landlords and tenants to reach a mutually beneficial resolution. The program is a no-cost opportunity for landlords and tenants to resolve their dispute outside of court with a neutral facilitator.  

    Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett announced on September 8 that $7.1 million in CARES Act funding will fund a rapid rehousing program. Partners at the Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention (CHIP) and Merchants Affordable Housing Corp. will assist with the new initiative. 

    Updated on September 15, 2020


    Housing advocates spoke to WOSU about the inextricable connection between housing and health, highlighting their concerns that the impending eviction crisis will increase the spread of COVID-19. The advocates discussed racial disparities in health and housing, noting that evictions and the coronavirus are disproportionately harming communities of color. 

    Updated on September 10, 2020


    The Hoosier Housing Needs Coalition urged Governor Eric Holcomb to ensure a waitlist and additional resources were made available before closing Indiana’s COVID-19 Rental Assistance Program on August 26. More than 200,000 additional Hoosiers are expected to need emergency rental assistance than will be provided through resources available through state and local government programs. Some Indiana senators called on Governor Holcomb to extend the Indiana COVID-19 Rental Assistance Program. Indiana Senate Democratic Leader Tim Lanane says that the program could continue to be funded by the $1 billion available in the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund.

    The growing number of people experiencing homelessness in Indianapolis continue to face reduced shelter capacity and closure of most public restrooms. Mayor Joe Hogsett in July announced $2.7 million in federal grant funds for homelessness prevention initiatives, but advocates are concerned that relief funds could diminish quickly given the looming eviction crisis.

    The Republic reports that CARES Act funding is helping to keep people stably housed in Bartholomew County.

    While the Indiana Utility Regulatory Commission decided against extending the state’s moratorium on disconnections past August 14, Columbus City Utilities is choosing not to disconnect customers.

    Updated on September 2, 2020.


    Governor Eric Holcomb announced on August 19 that Indiana’s rental assistance program will stop accepting applications on August 26, despite receiving more than 30,000 applications since it opened five weeks ago -- nearly three times the number of applications originally expected

    Less than a week after Governor Eric Holcomb allowed Indiana’s eviction moratorium to expire on August 14, hundreds of Hoosiers have been served eviction notices. A survey of small claims court cases in Marion County found nearly 600 filings this week, and most of them are evictions. “Unfortunately, this is just what we expected to see,” said Andrew Bradley, policy director at Prosperity Indiana, an NLIHC state partner.

    An estimated 600 eviction cases are pending in Allen County, Indiana, and 234 new cases have been filed since Governor Eric Holcomb allowed the eviction moratorium to expire. The Hoosier Housing Needs Coalition, an advocacy group that has urged Governor Holcomb to track eviction data as part of Indiana’s effort to combat the coronavirus, estimates up to 720,000 renters are in danger of losing their homes.

    More than one hundred tenants across Greater Lafayette have received eviction notices in less than a week after Indiana’s moratorium was lifted. “We have added additional court time to process evictions,” said Tippecanoe Magistrate Judge Daniel Moore. “We are prepared to hear 100 to 200 evictions per week if necessary.”

    Approximately 19,000 tenants are on a waiting list for Marion County’s Rental Assistance Program. A representative of Indiana Legal Services, a nonprofit law firm that helps low-income residents, is concerned about an impending flood of evictions after Governor Eric Holcomb allowed the state’s eviction moratorium to expire on August 14.

    According to the LTHC Homeless Services in Lafayette, more than 300 people experiencing homelessness do not have adequate housing resources in the Lafayette area. The organization is bracing for an increase in homelessness since Indiana’s eviction moratorium expired August 14.

    Updated on August 25, 2020.


    With Indiana’s eviction moratorium ending on August 14, the Hoosier Housing Needs Coalition is calling on Governor Eric Holcomb to include a ‘COVID-19 Housing Stability Dashboard’ on the state’s coronavirus response website to track eviction and rental assistance data. The coalition is also urging the Indiana Supreme Court to strengthen protections for tenants by uniformly enacting recommendations of the Court’s Landlord-Tenant Task Force.

    During a briefing on August 12, Governor Eric Holcomb did not announce plans to extend the statewide moratorium set to expire August 14. “We are expecting to see multiple waves of evictions starting when this eviction moratorium is lifted and extending...event into next year,” said Andrew Bradley, policy director of Prosperity Indiana.

    Governor Eric Holcomb announced on August 5 that he intends to allow Indiana’s moratoriums on evictions and utility shutoffs, including internet access, to expire on August 14. He announced that the state is adding $15 million to the $25 million rental assistance program.

    The Indianapolis City-County Council added $7.5 million to its rental assistance program. The program was initially set at $15 million, but it was forced to shut down after three days due to high demand.

    Indiana state leaders are working to determine how President Trump’s executive orders will impact low-income renters at risk of eviction. “President Donald Trump’s orders do not protect Hoosiers from evictions,” said Andrew Bradley of Prosperity Indiana. “Unless there is a moratorium put in place or real emergency rental assistance provided from Congress, somewhere between 569,000 to 720,000 Hoosiers could end up being evicted.”

    Updated on August 19, 2020.


    More than 400,000 Hoosiers would lose, on average, approximately 46% of their unemployment benefits under the proposed federal HEALS Act. The director of the Indiana Institute for Working Families said that the supplemental $600 unemployment benefit under the CARES Act was critical in preventing a housing and food crisis.

    The Kokomo Housing Authority, which oversees 500 federally subsidized housing units in the city, has already seen a spike in the number of people asking for assistance, and that will likely increase once the statewide eviction moratorium lifts. Advocates, such as the Hoosier Housing Needs Coalition, argue that the Indiana COVID-19 Rental Assistance Program will not meet the overwhelming need for assistance. 

    Governor Eric Holcomb announced on August 5 that the Indiana COVID-19 Rental Assistance Program will receive an additional $15 million. The boost will make a total of $40 million in assistance to Hoosiers.

    Updated on August 11, 2020.


    Governor Eric Holcomb on July 29 extended the eviction and foreclosure moratorium until August 14. The moratoriums had been set to expire on July 31.

    Indiana has received over 20,000 applications for the state’s CARES Act Rental Assistance Program, maxing out the current capacity. Indiana has allocated $25 million in CARES Act funding, which is expected to assist approximately 12,000 households. 

    Indianapolis’ rental assistance program has distributed $3.5 million so far. The program launched on July 13 and suspended applications one week later after receiving more than 10,000 requests. The program and its partners are processing between 400 and 500 completed applications per day.

    group of Indiana landlords filed a lawsuit against Governor Eric Holcomb regarding his eviction ban, which is set to expire at the end of July. Prosperity Indiana, an NLIHC state partner, says that if Governor Holcomb does not extend the eviction moratorium, the state would undo the progress it has made to provide a measure of housing stability to over 258,000 Hoosiers who have been impacted by the pandemic and need rent relief.

    Indianapolis advocates are concerned about a rise in homelessness as a result of the pandemic and are calling on city leaders to provide shelter and services to people experiencing homelessness. On July 27, the City of Indianapolis announced a plan to provide housing and health services to residents experiencing homelessness.

    Updated on August 4, 2020.


    The Hoosier Housing Needs Coalition developed a ‘yardstick’ to measure four necessary steps for the state to take before Governor Eric Holcomb should consider lifting the eviction moratorium. 

    Updated on July 28, 2020.


    Indianapolis had to suspend accepting applications for its rental assistance program after receiving more than 10,000 applications since the system opened on July 13.

    More than 11,000 Hoosiers applied to the Indiana COVID-19 Rental Assistance Program in the first 48 hours. The $25 million program is expected to assist 12,000 households, out of an estimated 258,782 households who will need rental assistance by September 2020.

    Prosperity Indiana, an NLIHC state partner, released a brief outlining why the state must prepare for multiple waves of COVID-19 evictions starting August 1 through 2021 and beyond. The evolving nature of the coronavirus pandemic and the economic crisis could bring several waves of evictions.

    Updated on July 20, 2020.


    Governor Eric Holcomb announced on June 24 the creation of the Indiana COVID-19 Rental Assistance Program, a $25 million program funded through the CARES Act. Households who have been impacted by the pandemic may receive rental assistance up to $500 per month for four months. Marion County has its own allocation of $15 million for rental assistance. Governor Holcomb also extended Indiana’s eviction moratorium through July.

    The Hoosier Housing Needs Coalition applauded the eviction moratorium extension and the creation of the Indiana COVID-19 Rental Assistance Program. Advocates are urging Governor Eric Holcomb to establish a Rental Housing Stability Task Force to ensure that the assistance reaches people with the greatest needs.

    Updated on June 29, 2020.


    The Hoosier Housing Needs Coalition released a statement that state and federal policymakers are not taking adequate steps to protect renters impacted by COVID-19. The coalition continues to urge Governor Holcomb to enact a comprehensive plan to prevent a surge of evictions and a rise in homelessness.

    An editorial in the Journal Gazette calls on Indiana officials to establish a statewide rental assistance program using a portion of the $2.4 billion in federal Coronavirus Relief Fund dollars. Fort Wayne invested $150,000 from its CARES Act allocation to launch the Tenant Assistance Legal Clinic to help prevent evictions. The city also has a $200,000 rental assistance fund.

    Prosperity Indiana, an NLIHC state partner, released an update on the COVID-19-related housing and rental assistance needs of Hoosiers. The report urges state policymakers to establish and fund a rental assistance program to prevent a wave of evictions and homelessness when the state eviction moratorium expires June 30.

    Updated on June 12, 2020.


    Governor Eric Holcomb extended Indiana’s eviction and foreclosure moratorium to June 30, but the Hoosier Housing Coalition is concerned about the thousands of Indiana renters who will need rental assistance. According to NLIHC, an estimated 258,782 Indiana renters will need rent assistance from May through September.

    An editorial in the Journal Gazette argues that Indiana must take urgent action to protect low-income renters as the state’s eviction moratorium is set to expire on June 30. 

    The Indianapolis Recorder discusses why the impact of the coronavirus pandemic on people experiencing homelessness is not entirely clear despite the Indianapolis Continuum of Care tracking data on health screenings, administered tests, positive tests, and other metrics.


    Concerned about the potential wave of evictions after the statewide moratorium ends, the Hoosier Housing Needs Coalition is urging Governor Holcomb to extend the eviction moratorium and establish a statewide emergency rental assistance.


    Advocacy groups, including Prosperity Indiana, an NLIHC state partner, are urging the state to create an emergency rental assistance fund to help low-income renters. Indiana allocated money to its Hardest Hit Fund, which helps homeowners pay mortgages, but the fund does not assist renters.


    Marion County will receive $8.6 million in federal coronavirus relief funding, which will be used to provide rental, utilities, and food assistance for low-income residents impacted by the coronavirus pandemic. Nearly $2.8 million will be dedicated to homelessness prevention, including the cost of non-congregate shelters and up to two years of rental assistance and wraparound services.


    A spokeswoman for Indianapolis told the IndyStar that the city is in the process of establishing a contract with a local hotel to house people experiencing homelessness who are older or have underlying medical conditions. 

    Prosperity Indiana, an NLIHC state partner, and several key partners have formed the Hoosier Housing Needs Coalition to advocate for housing policy solutions that ensure an equitable response and recovery to the pandemic. The Hoosier Housing Needs Coalition is focusing its efforts on making recommendations concerning short-term emergency rental assistance and homelessness prevention.

    A group of 17 Indiana housing providers and advocacy groups sent a letter to Senator Todd Young (R-IN) urging him to support $100 billion in emergency rental assistance in the next coronavirus relief package.


    Seventeen housing providers and advocacy groups, including Prosperity Indiana, an NLIHC state partner, sent a letter to Senator Todd Young (R-IN) urging him to include $100 billion in emergency rental assistance in the next coronavirus response bill.

    Hoosier Action, a grassroots group focused on addressing the needs of Indiana residents, held a virtual meeting to discuss the resources needed to help low-income residents or those without permanent housing during and after the coronavirus pandemic.

    Fort Wayne

    Fort Wayne will use federal coronavirus relief funding to meet the needs of people experiencing homelessness. The funds will be used to provide temporary shelter for women experiencing homelessness; emergency housing through hotel vouchers; quarantine shelter; deep cleaning and sanitizing services, PPE, and other supplies for local shelters.

    Indianapolis

    Indianapolis approved $15 million in federal Coronavirus Relief Fund (CRF) dollars for rental assistance. Any Indianapolis resident, regardless of status, can apply for assistance back rent - to April 1- or forward rent for a total of 90 days. The city also allocated $1.8 million in CRF funds for hotel housing to de-congregate shelters and $398,275 in FEMA funds for at-risk homeless hotel housing. 

    Updated on June 22, 2020.

    Terre Haute

    The city of Terre Haute is using $300,000 of its CARES Act funding to establish a day center for people experiencing homelessness. Modeled after a program in Illinois, the Pathways Day Center will offer people experiencing homelessness a range of services provided by several service organizations.

    Updated on June 12, 2020.

    Article TitleLink

    Evictions on hold in Dayton. But ‘surge’ is coming

    Dayton Daily News
    Group makes the case for housing security post-pandemicFOX59

    Federal, state, and local eviction moratoriums are rapidly expiring and the CARES Act supplemental unemployment benefits will end soon; at that time, millions of low-income renters will be at risk of losing their homes. The NLIHC estimates at least $100 billion in emergency rental assistance is needed to keep low-income renters stably housed during and after the pandemic. This tracker links to news reports of the growing evictions crisis in various cities and states. Check NLIHC's cumulative list of eviction updates.


    Governor Eric Holcomb announced on August 19 that Indiana’s rental assistance program will stop accepting applications on August 26, despite receiving more than 30,000 applications since it opened five weeks ago -- nearly three times the number of applications originally expected

    Less than a week after Governor Eric Holcomb allowed Indiana’s eviction moratorium to expire on August 14, hundreds of Hoosiers have been served eviction notices. A survey of small claims court cases in Marion County found nearly 600 filings this week, and most of them are evictions. “Unfortunately, this is just what we expected to see,” said Andrew Bradley, policy director at Prosperity Indiana, an NLIHC state partner. Indiana state leaders are working to determine how President Trump’s executive orders will impact low-income renters at risk of eviction. “President Donald Trump’s orders do not protect Hoosiers from evictions,” said Andrew Bradley of Prosperity Indiana. “Unless there is a moratorium put in place or real emergency rental assistance provided from Congress, somewhere between 569,000 to 720,000 Hoosiers could end up being evicted.” An estimated 600 eviction cases are pending in Allen County, Indiana, and 234 new cases have been filed since Governor Eric Holcomb allowed the eviction moratorium to expire. The Hoosier Housing Needs Coalition, an advocacy group that has urged Governor Holcomb to track eviction data as part of Indiana’s effort to combat the coronavirus, estimates up to 720,000 renters are in danger of losing their homes. More than one hundred tenants across Greater Lafayette have received eviction notices in less than a week after Indiana’s moratorium was lifted. “We have added additional court time to process evictions,” said Tippecanoe Magistrate Judge Daniel Moore. “We are prepared to hear 100 to 200 evictions per week if necessary.” Around 19,000 tenants are on a waiting list for Marion County’s Rental Assistance Program. A representative of Indiana Legal Services, a nonprofit law firm that helps low-income residents, is concerned about an impending flood of evictions after Governor Eric Holcomb allowed the state’s eviction moratorium to expire on August 14.

    Updated on August 28, 2020.


    State eviction protections and a state moratorium on utility shutoffs expired August 14, leaving an estimated 200,000 people without assistance.

    Updated: August 17


    The Kokomo Housing Authority, which oversees 500 federally subsidized housing units in the city, has already seen a spike in the number of people asking for assistance, and that will likely increase once the statewide eviction moratorium lifts. Advocates, such as the Hoosier Housing Needs Coalition, argue that the Indiana COVID-19 Rental Assistance Program will not meet the overwhelming need for assistance.

    Updated: August 12


    Tenants in Indiana cannot be evicted for nonpayment of rent until Aug. 14, other evictions are possible in emergencies (harm to the property or others). According to the governor's executive order, landlords cannot initiate nonpayment cases, but the Supreme Court clarified this by allowing filings to continue, but hearings and judgments are still suspended. 

    Updated on August 1, 2020.


    In the third week of July, 24% of adults in Indiana reported they had missed their previous housing payment or had little confidence they would make their next one on time, according to a weekly survey conducted by the Census. In the same survey, 288,184 renters reported they had not paid their previous rental payment

    An estimated 212,000 evictions will be filed in the next four months. The emergency rental assistance programs for the state and the City of Indianapolis opened on July 13, quickly receiving thousands more applications than they could serve. Under the current programs, over 200,000 households who need assistance won't receive it, putting them at risk of eviction and homelessness. 

    Updated: July 29


    As many as 258,000 Hoosiers are at risk of eviction. According to a weekly survey by the Census, about 1 in 3 adults in the state either missed their last housing payment or have little/no confidence of being able to make next month’s housing payment.

    Updated: July 16

    COVID-19 Resources Other

    National Media

    What to Know About Housing and Rent During the COVID-19 Emergency? https://tinyurl.com/y74ox85d

    Arbor Realty Trust launched an innovative $2 million rental assistance program to help thousands of tenants and families significantly impacted by the COVID-19 outbreak. Arbor is contributing $1 million to the program and participating borrowers will match Arbor's advances to its tenants in need to help fill the rent gap during the hard-hit months of May and June. Together, the partnership program will provide $2 million in relief. https://tinyurl.com/y9r6x9vb