INDIANAPOLIS — The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) recently awarded over $19.3 million to support 95 homeless housing and service programs in Indiana. The Continuum of Care grants announced provide critically needed housing and support services to individuals and families experiencing homelessness across the state.
Included in the awards are Coburn Place, the Julian Center, Midtown Community Health, Partners in Housing, and the Salvation Army.
Last month, HUD reported homelessness crept up in the U.S., especially among individuals experiencing long-term chronic homelessness. HUD’s 2017 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress found that 553,742 persons experienced homelessness on a single night in 2017, an increase of .7 percent since last year. Homelessness among families with children declined 5.4 percent nationwide since 2016, but local communities report the number of persons experiencing long-term chronic homelessness and Veterans increased. HUD’s 2017 homeless estimate points to a significant increase in the number of reported persons experiencing unsheltered homelessness, particularly in California and other high-cost rental markets experiencing a significant shortage of affordable housing.