Understanding Indianapolis' Housing System: An Overview
Understanding Indianapolis' Housing System: An Overview
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Introduction
Housing is a critical issue in Indianapolis, especially for young people. Currently there are an estimated 8,100 young adults that will experience some form of homelessness in Marion County this year.This number was calculated from research done by Outreach Staff, and for the purpose of this post and future ones, young people or youth refers to people aged 14 to 24 years old.
In addition to social issues and employment difficulties, education gaps and funding cuts, the housing costs continue to rise, while income stays stagnant. Thus creating an even larger gap between young people and homes. This means that understanding HUD-funded housing is vital and knowing what the alternate paths are and how to navigate them is just as essential. The housing system is tricky and this post’s objective is to simplify the housing process and provide valuable insights for both young individuals and partner organizations.
1: What is HUD-funded Housing?
HUD, also known as the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (click the following link to be taken to their website) https://www.hudexchange.info/programs/coc/, is the big umbrella of funding and policies that most public housing projects fall under.
The federal government grants money to this department. They then distribute it among Continuum of Care programs (CoC) in various states. A state can have more than one CoC, for example, Indiana has two: one for Marion County and one for the rest of the counties. This is why federal spending on housing is important and impacts individuals everywhere.
HUD also funds vouchers. Likely, you’ve heard of Section 8 vouchers or Housing Choice, both similar just with different names. These vouchers help an individual to pay rent, acting as a subsidy and covering a portion of the month’s rent or sometimes the whole rent.
There are limited vouchers within each county and people have a certain amount of time (120 days) to find housing after being issued the voucher. This timeline includes receiving the voucher and the approval of the young person by their chosen property management company or landlord. The latter of this is called Housing Search and Placement.
Housing Search and Placement can be intimidating. Just like looking for an apartment with any other version of income, it feels overwhelming and many times people aren’t sure what questions to ask or where to look.
Outreach has coaches, diversion specialists and navigators to help with this process!
2. Understanding Eligibility Requirements
Eligibility is often the biggest question with housing projects as they differ in criteria. Speaking to a professional navigator such as those at Outreach, RDOOR, HIP or other organizations can help to further break down the details of each project.
HUD-Funded RRH (Rapid Rehousing) and PSH (Permanent Support Housing) projects require homeless verification (documents that are filled out and signed by assessors and navigators to verify what months someone has been unhoused).
All PSH projects also require a diagnosis from a doctor or provider that indicates the client has a disabling condition (these diagnoses vary and can range from anxiety and depression to a physical disability or a chronic health issue). Many people do not consider themselves to have a disabling condition but could qualify as having a “disabling condition” under the CoC definition. A disabling condition according to the Continuum of Care (CoC) program is “a physical, mental, or emotional impairment that significantly limits a person's ability to live independently. It can also include developmental disabilities or HIV/AIDS”.
All PSH and RRH projects offer subsidized rent based on the client’s income at time of entry to their project and it can be changed depending on if that income decreases or increases.
Any apartment, housing project, and most shelters require vital documentation. Examples being state IDs, Social Security Cards and Birth certificates.
3. Categories of Housing
Emergency Housing/Shelters
What is it?
Emergency shelters often have stigmas around them because of the crowded atmospheres and the chaos of many different lives colliding under one roof. But for true emergency stays when there is nowhere else to go and you have children, it’s so very important that people are connected to shelters.
What do they require?
Each shelter requires different types of documentation. Some don’t require any, whereas others expect you to have at least a State ID. Calling shelters may help to secure a spot, but during winter months they are typically full and may not be able to accept additional persons.
Each shelter may take certain types of people as well. For example Queen of Peace is a shelter for people who identify as women, only, including pregnant women and women with children.
How can this type of housing be accessed?
This housing is accessible through in-person walk-ins or calling their shelter numbers. Some shelters (usually domestic violence shelters) require a referral from one of the following agencies:
Indy Champions (Intimate Partner Violence): 317-210-0866
Coburn Place (Fleeing any violence): 317-920-9320
Salvation Army (Fleeing any violence): 317-637-5551
Domestic violence shelters can sometimes have extra steps and assessments that can retraumatize people and this should be considered before doing intakes or suggesting someone go to a domestic violence shelter specifically.
Advice:
They can be intimidating and requesting a trusted friend or staff from a community center to accompany you is 100% alright!
Additionally, having a staff member from a trusted organization call with you prior to visiting the shelter is recommended because sometimes they offer insight and advocacy that calling alone does not.
The list below has the links categorized for quicker access (this is list is NOT the entire list of all shelters available in Indianapolis):
Horizon House (Day Center, not shelter) https://www.horizonhouse.cc/
Wheeler Mission (Men, Women, and Families) https://wheelermission.org/contact/
Coburn Place (Women and families fleeing DV) https://coburnplace.org/get-help/
Julian Center (Women fleeing DV) https://www.juliancenter.org/get-help/
Queen of Peace (Women, women with children and pregnant) https://in211.communityos.org/apssreadonly/render/id/2290/form/site/record_id/4054
Day Spring (families) https://dayspringindy.org/emergency-shelter
Salvation Army (Men, Women, Families, fleeing DV) https://centralusa.salvationarmy.org/wccindiana/
https://www.salvationarmyusa.org/usn/location-search?query=46201&map=1559322608804
Domestic Violence Prevention Network (resource for anyone fleeing violence, not a shelter but a ton of resources and connections to help, as well as education): https://www.dvpnindy.org/
Transitional Housing
What is it?
Typically transitional housing is the bridge between staying outside or in an emergency shelter to living in a more stable housing situation such as independently or in permanent supportive programs.
Transitional housing usually offers services like job training, case management, and education so long as the resident complies with the rules and meets set goals.
What do they require?
These programs vary and often are not directly funded by HUD or the federal government. This means their criteria, policies and programs can all look a little different.
Listed below are links to several youth-based transitional housing programs, each with different rules, requirements and goals.
How is this type of housing accessed?
Typically through online referrals. These referrals can be made by a case manager, a supportive organization, or the young person themselves.
Advice:
When researching or applying for transitional housing, have a goal in mind before interviewing with the program. Know what you want out of it. And please, please, PLEASE ask lots of questions, regardless of whether you are the person seeking transitional housing or a partner organization hoping to make a referral.
Make sure that the transitional housing is a safe and supportive place for you and makes sense for your goals! Some might not be a good fit and others might not have your success in mind.
Permenant Supportive Housing
What is it?
Permanent Supportive Housing (often abbreviated as PSH) is a long-term housing solution for those with disabilities and ‘chronic homelessness’. Disabilities look a lot of different ways and can vary from depression and anxiety to a physical disability to a chronic illness to PTSD. Chronic homelessness is a term that refers to the amount of time someone has spent outside or in a shelter or in a bando. To be chronic you must have verified time outside for more than 12 months in the past 36 months and you need a diagnosis on paper.
Please read through the Eligibility section for more information!
How is this type of housing accessed?
This type of housing is accessed through the Indianapolis COC housing prioritization list. This list uses a specific algorithm based on vulnerabilities to assess people and place them based on their vulnerabilities. A young person, who is experiencing homelessness in Indianapolis (either sleeping outside, in a car, at a park, in a camp or bando, or staying in a shelter or fleeing violence) can be assessed at the following locations and be put on the list.
Outreach Inc (2416 E New York Street)
Adult and Child (603 E Washington Street)
Horizon House (1033 E Washington Street)
What do they require?
PSH projects require diagnoses from providers. These diagnoses can be obtained before or after the assessment but they must be recorded and uploaded to HMIS prior to a housing referral.
PSH projects also require verified documented homelessness for 12 months or more. This can be obtained in a variety of ways and it’s best to ask your local assessor, based on your situation, which would be the most helpful avenue for you.
Rapid Rehousing Programs
What is it?
Rapid Rehousing is similar to PSH (Permanent Supportive Housing), but only lasts two years. In PSH, a client can re-up their lease if they are continuing to be eligible and following the apartment complex rules. Their eligibility is based on household income. With Rapid Rehousing, even if a client continues to be eligible, they only have two years to live at that property and have their rent subsidized.
Please read through the Eligibility Section for more clarity on subsidized rent and documentation.
What do they require?
RRH requires a person to be either staying outside or in a shelter or any place that someone shouldn’t be sleeping (a car, a bando, etc.) and/or currently fleeing violence from someone.
How can it be accessed?
This type of housing is accessed through the Indianapolis COC housing prioritization list. This list works similar to a lottery with a specific algorithm based on vulnerabilities to assess people and place them based on their vulnerabilities. A young person, who is experiencing homelessness in Indianapolis (either sleeping outside, in a car, at a park, in a camp or bando, or staying in a shelter or fleeing violence) can be assessed at the following locations and be put on the list.
Outreach Inc (2416 E New York Street)
Adult and Child (603 E Washington Street)
Horizon House (1033 E Washington Street)
Vouchers
What is it?
There are a variety of vouchers in Indianapolis. The most common we hear about are Section 8, Section 42 and FYIs (Foster Youth Independence). Like RRH and PSH projects that are subsidized (meaning that usually only pay a percentage of their rent, typically 30% and the rest is covered by HUD) vouchers are rental assistance or replacement. But tenants must continue to be income eligible for these.
Section 8: A federal program that provides rental assistance to low-income individuals and families by subsidizing a portion of their rent in privately owned housing. Tenants pay around 30% of their income toward rent, with the government covering the rest. Based county to county and often has a several year long waiting list, sometimes these waiting lists are closed and do not accept new applications for a certain period.
Check out this link to see which counties have open waiting lists: Open Section 8 Waiting Lists in Indiana
Section 42: A tax credit program that incentivizes developers to build or rehabilitate affordable housing. Unlike Section 8, it does not provide direct rental assistance but ensures that units remain affordable for low- to moderate-income renters by capping rent prices based on area median income (AMI).
FYI: The Foster Youth to Independence (FYI) voucher is a housing assistance program designed for young adults aging out of foster care. It provides rental assistance through the Housing Choice Voucher (Section 8) program, helping eligible individuals secure stable housing as they transition to independence.
FYI vouchers offer up to 36 months of rental support and connect recipients with case management and supportive services, such as education, employment assistance, and life skills training.
What do they require?
Section 8:
Income requirements! The household (as a collective) must be making less than 30-50% of the AMI (Area Median Income). Have vital documents on hand. It’s typical to apply online or with a case manager, but also going to your local county’s Housing Authority can help you to find out what options are available.
Section 42:
Income eligibility and student status eligibility. Similar to Section 8 requirements, but instead of using a voucher the rent is already subsidized and you pay between 20-50% of it.
FYI:
Must be between 18 and 24 years old. Must have aged out of foster care or will age out within 90 days. Must be at risk of homelessness. Must be referred by a public child welfare agency (PCWA).
How is it accessed?
Through online links (one already provided), talking with a case manager at any place you might get services, such as a hospital, a court, a community center or shelter.
Self-Resolving
What is it?
Self-resolving is another term for solo house-hunting, or ‘housing search and placement’. These all mean the same thing, but like many terms in the housing system we use them interchangeably and that causes more confusion for both clients and partners. For the purpose of this section we will call it ‘self-resolving’.
Self-resolving is when you search for an apartment or house with your earned income (be it from a job, side hustles, SSI/SSDI check, or however you get your money).
What do they require?
Though this path into the housing system might be more flexible in some ways (you are not bound by a voucher, nor to a single housing project) it does require more extensive check points and income.
Applying to apartments comes with a variety of costs that are often skipped or paid for with other housing paths, such as application fees, holding fees, security deposits, credit checks. Always ask about these with calling landlords/property managers because these fees should be included in your planned budget.
There are several checks, too. The previously mentioned credit check is a big one that stops or slows people down. Often young people have not even started a credit line, nor have they had education on credit and how to use it. Sometimes they have had credit cards taken out in their name when they were children. These can affect the application process.
Background checks can affect housing applications too. Unfortunately, in Indiana, landlords have a right to decline people for a variety of reasons, including criminal history. This does not mean that every landlord discriminates, in fact there are several in Indianapolis that are helpful and understanding of previous convictions or bad credit.
Lastly remember that most apartments and housing companies require your gross income to be 3x the amount of the rent. (Gross income is the amount you make a month BEFORE taxes are taken out). If you are planning on moving in with a partner or roommate, this gross income can include their income as well!
Speaking of roommates! That will be another topic we write about! Finding, picking and keeping a roommate is a whole discussion itself! SO stay tuned.
How is it accessed?
Apartment hunting is accessed through a variety of search engines, popular ones include: apartments.com, realtor.org, and hotpads.com, but with every search engine protecting your information AND making sure you are finding legitimate properties, is priority!
Using these search engines is perfectly fine, just make sure to look up the property on the company/landlord’s direct website to ensure that it is a real and active property.
Advice:
When applying for apartments you run the risk of working with unsafe landlords or property managers, so always do in person tours!
Using the above search engines is perfectly fine, just make sure to look up the property on the company/landlord’s direct website to ensure that it is a real and active property.
Always call and email first before applying and before an in-person tour, to speak with someone directly!
Reunification/Natural Support Networks
This does not always seem like a housing path to people, and many times it may not be. Housing instability and homelessness are often direct results of abusive households or fractured family units, that led to being kicked out or trauma (which in and of itself affects daily living).
Sometimes, however, there is a difference between abuse and conflict in households. Conflict can be managed, abuse cannot and should not.
An example of conflict that could be managed is chores. Perhaps there is a difference in how one cleans the dishes or picks up their room. The parties involved can have a discussion to see if there is a solution or a compromise that could be reached to resolve the problem and continue a healthy and pleasant environment in the home.
But not doing the dishes or doing them wrong results in one party insulting the other, calling them names, physically touching them, hurting them or threatening them. This is not conflict, this is abuse.
This is a tricky topic that may need a third party to mediate. And sometimes, even after mediation and a discussion, the problem doesn’t resolve. But unification or relying on support networks, like close friends that maybe you share half the rent with or buy groceries to stay, could be better options at the time.
4. How Partner Organizations Can Help
Ways partner organizations can assist young people in navigating the system:
Educating about eligibility and available programs!
Providing case management and advocacy!
Hosting housing workshops or events!
Informed consent and transparency is the best way to open up doors and allow people to choose for themselves what the best path is!
Best way to connect with us is to either reach out to our Youthlink Triage Line or connect with our director of Strategic Partnerships on the staff page of our website.
Conclusion
Within Indianapolis’ housing system there are a lot of paths to housing. It can be confusing, overwhelming, frustrating and just down right scary to try and navigate them or help someone else navigate them.
But no one should face a system by themselves. Success is often achieved with a community. Change is implemented with a community! And that is what we strive for at Outreach, to be a community that makes people feel seen, known, and loved!
Hopefully this post was helpful, whether you yourself are looking for housing or you are supporting someone else looking for housing.
You can continue the housing journey with support in a variety of ways.
If you are the one LOOKING for housing:
Connect with our Youthlink Triage hotline (317) 699-1994
Get an assessment done at Outreach by a youth/ young adult assessor
Pop into one of our Program Centers to get general services or connect with a coach, diversion specialist or navigator.
Informed consent and transparency is the best way to open up doors and allow people to choose for themselves what the best path is! Reaching out to our Youthlink Triage hotline or our Director of Strategic Partnerships to connect is an option.
Contact us!
Outreach - 317 951 8886
Youthlink Triage Line - 317 699 1994
Youthlink email - yya@youthlinkindy.org
