INDIANAPOLIS — Streets to Home Indy is a city-wide approach to address homelessness in Indianapolis.
Faith leaders are encouraging community members to get involved.
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“Housing is a human right. Everyone needs a place to live, regardless of what their story is," Meghan Meadows with Greater Indianapolis Multifaith Alliance (GIMA) said. “The faith community is here to keep the momentum going. This is going to take a long time. The streets to home initiative is expected to take at least three years.”
Streets to Home Indy is in its first phase, which is focused on the highest-risk population. The goal is to house between 300 to 350 individuals currently living on the streets and in encampments by this summer.
The initiative, led by the Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention (CHIP), seeks to end chronic and unsheltered homelessness by 2028.
“The homelessness crisis is growing. Especially as resources are drying up at the federal level... The housing vouchers aren’t available, and Indianapolis specifically has one of the highest eviction rates in the country," Meadows said.
GIMA hosted a Train the Trainer session on Tuesday to educate people about the crisis and how to end it.
“I think homelessness is going to become more of a problem if we don’t do something about it, because of the increasing cost of housing, and people are just not going to be able to afford decent, safe housing," Member of Allisonville Christian Church Janette Smith said.
She encourages other people of faith to help their neighbors.
“People who can’t afford decent housing are some of the people that I fear, I think Jesus is speaking to, who we should be caring for," Smith said.
GIMA says there are different ways you can help:
- Educate others about the homelessness crisis
- Donate and fundraise
- Supply resident move-in kits
- Refer potential landlords
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Nico Pennisi is the In Your Community reporter for Downtown Indy. He joined WRTV in October 2022. His passion has always been telling the stories of people who often get overlooked. Share your story ideas and important issues with Nico by emailing him at nico.pennisi@wrtv.com.
