INDIANAPOLIS — Recently the City of Indianapolis marked one year since the start of its rental assistance program. Since the program’s inception, the City has distributed $50.9 million to 22,409 Marion County households. Additionally, the City announced that the application waitlist at IndyRent.org had been exhausted, and tenants can now fill out applications in real time.
The Rental Assistance program launched on July 13, 2020, with the help of dozens of community organizations. Throughout its existence, John Boner Neighborhood Centers has served as the program administrator, managing multiple changes in federal guidelines and interfacing with tenants and landlords alike. Financial support for program administration was provided by Lilly Endowment Inc.
The program has received federal funding from three separate sources, including the CARES Act passed in March 2020, the second COVID-19 relief bill (CARES Act II) in December 2020, and the American Rescue Plan Act, passed in March 2021.
Households at or below 80 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI) that have experienced a reduction in earned income and are at risk of housing instability are eligible to apply for rental assistance. Applications and additional information are available at IndyRent.org.