INDIANAPOLIS — The annual count of people experiencing homelessness is conducted by CHIP (Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention) on the night of Jan. 28. The data collected is used by government agencies and organizations to decide where to direct resources.
The annual point-in-time count for how many individuals are experiencing homelessness in Indianapolis stayed virtually flat from last year’s count. The Indianapolis count was at 1,821 residents who experienced homelessness the night of Jan. 28 — only six more individuals than the 2025 count.
Of those residents, 1,346 were in emergency shelters (74%), 203 were in transitional housing (11%) and 272 were unsheltered (15%).
Since the 2025 PIT count day, the Streets to Home Indy initiative was responsible for housing 87 people by the 2026 PIT count day in January.
The number of unsheltered residents in Indianapolis fell by 18% from 2025, when 331 residents were living outside. The number of people living outside had been trending up in Indianapolis following the pandemic.
CHIP noted that last year, nearly 25,000 eviction filings were made across the city – an average of over 500 filings weekly in Marion County. That amounts to a 14% eviction filing rate or 14 filings per 100 renter households. Hoosiers continue to struggle with rising living costs, flatline wages, and fewer affordable homes available.