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A new program designed to increase housing stability in Indianapolis will focus on supporting victims, witnesses and defendants caught in the criminal justice system who need housing.
The pilot program, funded as part of the Elevation Grant Program by the Indianapolis Foundation, is a collaboration with the Marion County Prosecutor’s Office, the Marion County Public Defender Agency, HealthNet’s Homeless Initiative Program, and the nonprofit Horizon House.
Details on the funding were not immediately avaialable, but money was awarded to Horizon House, which supports Marion County residents experiencing homelessness by providing necessities such as showers, laundry, food, and personal storage.
Candidates who are selected for the program face numerous barriers in establishing stable housing.
Marion County Prosecutor Ryan Mears said the prosecutor’s office and public defender agency will recommend individuals to Horizon House whose underlying issues within the criminal justice system appear to be connected to housing instability.
Horizon House will then guide those individuals through the process of establishing stable housing. Mears said the agencies involved in the program will be able to help individuals facing several different barriers to housing, including paying off utilities or first month’s rent.
“It really puts us in a position where we are hopefully making meaningful identification and housing options for people, but they also have that funding there to eliminate whatever barriers are there that often times prohibit people from being able to take advantage of those housing opportunities when they exist,” Mears said in a press conference announcing the program.
He said the program has a goal of supporting at least 30 households.
According to the Coalition for Homelessness Intervention & Prevention’s 2024 Point-in-Time (PIT) count, 1,701 residents were found to be experiencing homelessness, up slightly from 2023’s count, which found 1,619 residents experiencing homelessness.
The PIT Count is a census taken on a single night in January of individuals who are in emergency shelters, transitional housing or Safe Havens, or are unsheltered in Marion County.
Also in 2024, 25% of those included in the PIT count were experiencing homelessness as a family with adults and children. The PIT count does not include data on the number of residents in the criminal justice system who are experiencing homelessness.
“It’s one of the most important issues that we are facing in our community and it’s one of the most important issues that we are facing in the criminal justice system.” Mears said.
“On behalf of all the partners, we are grateful to the Indianapolis Foundation and the Elevation team for affording us this opportunity to build on shared expertise to help families impacted by the justice system secure housing stability,” said Teresa Wessel, CEO of Horizon House.
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