INDIANA — Homelessness declined in Indiana according to the latest national estimate by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). While overall homelessness increased by 0.7 percent nationally since 2016, since 2010 there was a decline of 13.1 percent. HUD’s 2017 Annual Homeless Assessment Report to Congress found the follow regarding homelessness across Indiana:
• Local communities reported that 5,438 persons experienced homelessness on a single night in 2017, a decrease of 6.2 percent (or 360 persons) since last year and a decrease of 15.7 percent (or 1,014) since 2010. Homelessness among families with children declined by 8.1 percent (or 159 persons in families) across the state since 2016. Since 2010 homeless people in families decreased by 36.6 percent (1,049).
• Local communities in Indiana report the number of persons experiencing long-term chronic homelessness decreased 8.8 percent (or 52 individuals) since 2016 and by 37.3 percent sincce 2010. Veteran homelessness declined by 48 or 7.2% since 2016 and by nearly 20% since 2010.
On a single night in January 2017, state and local planning agencies (Continuums of Care) in Indiana reported:
• 5,438 people were homeless representing an overall 6.2 percent decrease from 2016 (or 360 individuals) and a 15.7 percent decrease since 2010 (1,014).
• Most homeless persons, 4,869 (89.5%), were located in emergency shelters or transitional housing programs while total 569 (11.7%) persons were unsheltered.
• The number of unsheltered homeless individuals in 2017, (541) decreased by 18.8% from 2016 and by 36.5% since 2010.
• The number of families with children experiencing homelessness in 2017 (1,815), declined by 8.1 percent (or 159 families) since 2016 and by 36.6 percent, (1,049) since 2010.
• On a single night in January 2017, 615 veterans were experiencing homelessness. Veteran homelessness decreased 7.2 percent (or 48 persons) since January 2016. Since 2010, however, Veteran homelessness in Indiana declined 19.8 percent and by nearly 46% nationally.
The number of unaccompanied homeless youth and children in 2017 is estimated to be 294 youth. This year, HUD and local communities launched a more intense effort to more accurately account for this important, difficult to count population. HUD will treat 2017 as a baseline year for purposes of tracking progress toward reducing youth homelessness.