The first grant from the Housing to Recovery fund was announced. More than 650 thousand dollars in funding goes to the Horizon House and will help 120 families secure stable housing.
The fund was set up by the City of Indianapolis and the Central Indiana Community Foundation last year. Mayor Joe Hogsett says he’s committed to addressing chronic homelessness.
"Homelessness cannot be banished," says Hogsett, "it can only be cured through assistance and support."
The Horizon House uses a housing first model seeks to set up people with secure housing before addressing other needs. The grant will enable the organization to provide housing navigation and case management services.
Horizon House Executive Director Teresa Wessel says housing first is critical.
"Having a home allows for success," says Wessel, "and to be thriving as opposed to surviving day by day."
Other goals of the Housing for Recovery initiative are to decrease involvement with the criminal justice system and improve health outcomes.
Unstable housing and homelessness disproportionately impacts black residents in Indianapolis.
The current number of people experiencing homelessness in the city is not known but the Horizon House says they’ve seen an uptick during the coronavirus crisis. The last point count before the pandemic, recorded more than 1,500 people.
