The number of people experiencing homelessness in Indianapolis appears to be getting worse.
In January, when outreach workers and volunteers conducted the annual count, there were 1,815 people living outside and in shelters. That’s a 7% increase from last year.
The Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention gave the update to housing and homelessness advocates on July 16. And while the presentation included a lot of numbers and statistics, advocates urged attendees to not lose focus of what the data represents.
“They are real, sacred, human lives,” Abe Roll, CHIP’s data narrator, told the audience at the Basile Theatre downtown.
Like other cities across the country, Indianapolis conducts a point-in-time count of the homelessness population every January. The numbers help set local priorities for homelessness advocates and determine federal funding.
Advocates and policymakers acknowledge that a single count every year provides an incomplete picture of what’s happening in Marion County. Over time, though, they start to see trends.
There was one positive trend this year for veterans experiencing homelessness. The rest, though, are going in the wrong direction.
What the numbers show
One of the most significant takeaways from this year’s count is that more people are experiencing chronic homelessness. That means they have a disability and have been homeless for at least a year.
Homelessness advocates and Mayor Joe Hogsett previously had an ambitious goal to end chronic homelessness by the end of 2023, but they fell well short.
There were 401 chronically homeless residents on the night of this year’s count. That’s a 24% increase compared to last year.
Also on the rise is the number of Black residents experiencing homelessness.
This year, that number was 1,004. This is the first time since 2021 that the count has been above 1,000 people.
The increase comes despite a goal from the Indianapolis Continuum of Care to reduce Black homelessness by 35%. The Continuum of Care is a coalition of homelessness advocates, and CHIP is the lead organization.
The Rev. David W. Greene Sr., a member of the Continuum of Care’s board, told Mirror Indy he was “disappointed and disheartened” by the trend. Plus, Greene said more challenges are on the way as the state and federal governments continue dismantling programs that reference diversity, equity and inclusion.
“It’ll come down to the hearts of people sitting in the room making decisions,” Greene told Mirror Indy.
Overall, Black people represented 56% of the homeless population, despite making up less than a third of the total population in Marion County.
Of the 1,815 people experiencing homelessness, almost all were in an emergency shelter on the night of the count. Advocates say that’s to be expected, considering the count happens when the weather is typically cold in January.
Still, more than 300 people were unsheltered — meaning they were on the street, in a car or some other place not meant for human habitation.
Aside from a limited number of beds available, people may choose to stay away from shelters for many reasons, including safety and drug and alcohol requirements. Plus, there aren’t many shelter options for families to stay together.
Good news for veterans
One good thing to come out of this year’s count is that veteran homelessness was down by 26%.
There were 125 veterans counted in January, compared to 170 last year.
Helping Veterans and Families of Indiana celebrated the improvement.
“This year’s reduction in veteran homelessness can be attributed to effective housing strategies and dedication to ensure that no hero is homeless on our streets,” the organization’s CEO, Emmy Hildebrand, said in a statement.
What’s next?
Data from Marion County will become part of a larger look at homelessness across the state and country.
Last year, there were about 771,500 people experiencing homelessness nationwide, according to the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. That was an 18% increase from the year before.
Mirror Indy, a nonprofit newsroom, is funded through grants and donations from individuals, foundations and organizations.
Mirror Indy reporter Tyler Fenwick covers housing and labor. Contact him at 317-766-1406 or tyler.fenwick@mirrorindy.org. Follow him on X @ty_fenwick and Bluesky @tyfenwick.bsky.social.
Republish our articles for free, online or in print, under a Creative Commons license.
