INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis will receive $6,309,775 for local homeless assistance initiatives from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). Following an extremely competitive grant application process, HUD’s Continuum of Care allocation of grant funds will provide critically needed support to 20 local programs serving individuals and families experiencing homelessness. In the last funding cycle, Indianapolis was awarded $5,575,184, making this most recent award a 13 percent increase.
Organizations that were awarded program funds include the Coburn Place, Damien Center, Julian Center, Homeless Initiative Program, Adult and Child, Coalition for Homelessness Intervention & Prevention (CHIP), Englewood Community Development Corporation, Partners in Housing, and Midtown Mental Health. This is the first of two announcements of Continuum of Care awards. HUD will announce a second round of funding in the coming weeks. Indianapolis anticipates receiving an additional $700,000 in the second round.
The number of individuals experiencing homelessness has declining in Indianapolis, according to CHIP statistics from 2019. From 2018 to 2019, the total number of people experiencing homelessness dropped 7 percent. Individuals not in shelters decreased 23 percent, and the number of families experiencing homelessness decreased by 5 percent.
However, the study also noted that has been an increase in the number of unsheltered persons with mental illnesses, substance abuse, and physical disabilities has increased. In addition, while the percentage of white individuals experiencing homelessness has been decreasing, the population of unsheltered African-Americans has increased. The study, the point-in-time count on January 30, 2019.
For more information on the city’s homeless service system visit https://www.indycoc.org/.
