Lack of affordable housing felt in all 92 Indiana counties

Across Indiana, there has been a shortage of affordable housing causing an increase of “severe housing cost burden” for people in extremely low-income households in all 92 Indiana counties.

“Severe housing cost burden” is defined by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development(HUD) as “paying more than 50% of one’s income on rent.” Indiana’s supply and cost burden is currently below the Midwest average, according to Prosperity Indiana. The percentage of extremely low-income renter households with severe cost burden is 71% in Indiana.

Amy Nelson, the executive director of the Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana, told TheStatehouseFile. that “the lack of affordable housing is certainly something that every city and state is experiencing. However, it seems that Indiana tenants are experiencing it at much higher numbers.

“Although our housing might be looked at from people outside the state as being affordable, it isn’t necessarily to those who live here, given their wages haven’t kept up with rising housing costs.”

The Indiana General Assembly passed House Bill 1306 in 2022. It created a task force to review issues related to housing shortages in Indiana.

A 2023 report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition and Prosperity Indiana found a statewide shortage of 120,796 affordable and available rental homes for extremely low-income renters—which means there are 39 affordable and available rental homes for every 100 low-income Hoosier rental households.