Hoosier youth aging out of the foster care system will soon have access to affordable rental housing at four locations around the state. Following the Indiana General Assembly’s approval of funding, the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA) has announced the selection of four projects that will be developed to meet this need.
“Youth exiting the foster care system are vulnerable through no fault of their own, and it is our duty to provide them a smooth transition to adulthood,” said Lt. Gov. Suzanne Crouch, Indiana’s Secretary of Agriculture and Rural Development. “These four housing projects represent a significant step in that direction and will ensure foster youth are given a chance to live productive, dignified and independent lives.”
The initiative is designed to develop affordable rental housing developments with supportive services for youth (ages 18-23) aging out of foster care. The legislature appropriated $5,000,000 in the 2023 budget session and IHCDA will add an additional $5,000,000 to the program in the form of grants.
The Request for Proposal was released in December 2023 with applications due February 2024. Applicants were required to consist of a team that included, at minimum, a nonprofit housing developer, a qualified supportive service provider and a property management company. The nonprofit developer must develop and own the rental units, provide or hire property management and comply with all IHCDA reporting requirements. The qualified service provider must refer eligible applicants and provide residents with services such as life skills, budgeting, mental health counseling, job coaching, GED attainment and other services. IHCDA evaluated applicants in partnership with the Indiana Department of Child Services (DCS).
The four applicants selected are:
- Lacasa of Goshen, Inc. and Bashor Childrens Home, for an 11-unit development in Goshen.
- Firefly Children and Family Alliance, Herron Property Management and ALK Development, for a 12-15 unit development in Indianapolis.
- New Hope Services, Inc., LifeSpring Health Systems and Herron Property Management, for a 10-14 unit development in Jeffersonville.
- Building and Impacting Communities, Inc., Epiphany & Company and BWI Management, for a 20-unit development in Merrillville.
The projects must operate as affordable rental housing, not as transitional housing, an emergency shelter or a safe haven. All units are required to serve youth exiting foster care. IHCDA will monitor these developments for program compliance and will conduct periodic inspections.
Selected applicants will be invited to submit a full application for funding by December 2024. Initial applications did not include site control, zoning, site plans, architectural drawings or final budgets. The unit counts listed above are subject to change.
