INDIANAPOLIS — Finding an affordable home in Indiana is becoming increasingly difficult.
As the state grapples with a housing deficit of 137,000 units, proposed federal government cuts could eliminate the programs looking to help solve the problem.
Andrew Bradley, a housing advocate with Prosperity Indiana, warns that without adequate support, it could take over 70 years to close the state's affordable housing gap.
"Any cuts are going to take us in the exact wrong direction," he said.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) told various housing assistance programs across the country their funding would be decreased including some in central Indiana.
"A grant that we use to address systemic-based housing discrimination, mortgage lending, and homeowner's insurance has been terminated,” said Amy Nelson, Executive Director of the Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana.
Nelson highlighted that her organization relies heavily on HUD grants, with 85% of its budget derived from this funding.
“Any decrease in that funding means we simply do not have alternative sources,” she added.
Currently, a class-action lawsuit in a Massachusetts U.S. District Court aims to reinstate the Fair Housing Initiative Program grants, which are vital for combating discrimination and fostering equitable housing practices in marginalized communities.
Nelson expressed her concern about the potential fallout from dwindling resources.
"We’re on the phone every day with people that are worried, scared… There may come a point in time when we're not able to be there to answer that phone," Nelson said.
WATCH | Thousands struggle to afford housing in Indiana amid potential federal cuts
Having worked in fair housing since 1997, Nelson noted that such drastic funding cuts are unprecedented.
“They haven't just terminated the grant, especially without any advance notice,” she explained.
As the affordable housing crisis deepens, the implications of these funding cuts could be felt soon — and acutely.
“There's so many ways that the funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development helps Hoosiers every day that is already being felt and will be felt even more harshly in the months to come,” Nelson said.
