Indy programs tackling homelessness awarded record federal funding

Indianapolis is expected to receive a record amount of annual funding from the federal government to help tackle homelessness in the city.

The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development announced Friday that it has awarded nearly $5.6 million to Indianapolis Continuum of Care organizations—a group of social service agencies and not-for-profits that work together to tackle homelessness. That's an increase of about 6 percent over last year's funding.

In total, Indiana was awarded $22.7 million to help 82 anti-homelessness programs or projects, HUD said.

“This year, Indianapolis received a record level of funding to prevent, mitigate, and ultimately eradicate homelessness in our community—a more than 25 percent increase in funding since 2015,” Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett said in written remarks. “As a city, we are committed to long-term solutions that address systemic homelessness while increasing access to wrap around services that help our neighbors succeed.”

The funding was awarded to 19 local programs, with individual grants ranging from $76,563 to $1.2 million. Among the the biggest recipients were two Partners in Housing programs that were awarded a total of $1.33 million and three Adult and Child Health programs getting nearly $504,000.

The news follows recent announcements by Hogsett that more city and philanthropic funds will be directed to anti-homelessness efforts.

A proposal to spend $300,000 on programs to tackle homelessness and panhandling, taken from revenue the city expects to receive from extending parking meter hours, is making its way through the City-County Council.

And the Central Indiana Community Foundation, in partnership with the city, also announced it will seek to raise $4 million to spend on wraparound services to the formerly homeless once they enter into housing.