The Damien Center announced Tuesday it will receive funding for supportive housing as part of a larger federal funding package for Indianapolis projects.
The nonprofit participated in Indianapolis’ pilot program for master leasing, a supportive housing strategy where the city partners with landlords to provide rental assistance. This funding will build on that.
Damien Center president and CEO Alan Witchey said they want to help people get in housing and stay housed.
“If people don’t have stable housing, they can’t stabilize their income, their health, their mental health. It all starts with that," Witchey said.
U.S. Representative André Carson requested the funding from the House Committee on Appropriations, as part of $13.08 million in earmarked federal funding for projects in Indianapolis. Funds to the Damien Canter are part of a $850,000 package. He held a joint event with the Damien Center to announce it.
“It’s a five year program, so those funds are spread out over that five-year period to create stability for at least 30 households every year,” Witchey said.
Other grants in the overall package are slated for public health, infrastructure, community development and public safety.
Witchey said, for the housing-first program, a key strategy is wraparound services.
“Really, at the heart of it, there’s a wonderful team of housing case managers that work with somebody to identify what their needs are, to build an individualized care plan for them and to support them,” he said.
The master leasing award is slated to support up to 244 housing units, according to Carson’s office.
Contact WFYI data journalist Zak Cassel at zcassel@wfyi.org.
