Affordable Housing in Indianapolis, IN

This page collects the specific programs, agencies, phone numbers, and rules that apply in Indianapolis and Marion County — not generic Section 8 advice. There's good news this year: the IHA Public Housing waitlist reopened on March 20, 2026 after a long closure. The named resources below are where to start whether you need shelter tonight, want to apply for housing, or need help with this month's rent.

Emergency Help Tonight in Indianapolis

If you need a safe place to sleep tonight or are facing an imminent eviction, these are the local resources to contact first:

• Wheeler Mission — Indianapolis's largest emergency shelter system. Separate facilities for men (245 N Delaware St, (317) 635-3575), women, and families with children. wheelermission.org
• Salvation Army of Indianapolis — emergency shelter, food, and rental assistance at multiple corps locations
• Holy Family Shelter (Catholic Charities Indianapolis) — emergency shelter for families with children
• Family Promise of Greater Indianapolis — congregational network shelter and rapid rehousing for families
• Julian Center — Indianapolis's largest domestic violence shelter and 24-hour crisis line: (317) 920-9320
• Coburn Place Safe Haven — transitional housing for survivors of domestic and sexual violence
• Horizon House — day shelter offering meals, showers, mail, case management, and connections to housing
• Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention (CHIP) — Coordinated Entry — central intake for the Indianapolis Continuum of Care. Call 211 to start
• 211 Indiana — free 24/7 information line for shelters, food, financial assistance, and social services

For a full walkthrough of finding shelter the first night, see our emergency housing tonight guide.

Section 8 and Public Housing in Indianapolis: IHA Status

Affordable housing in Indianapolis is administered by the Indianapolis Housing Agency (IHA), serving more than 11,000 households across Marion County. The portfolio includes about 9,000 Housing Choice Vouchers, 560 Public Housing units, and 1,600 Affordable Units. Current status (May 2026):

• The Public Housing waitlist opened on March 20, 2026 after a long closure. This is the most accessible path right now — apply before it closes again. Marion County residents receive local preference
• The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) waitlist is closed as of May 2026 with no announced reopening
• Project-Based Voucher (PBV) waitlists are open for specific properties. Apply directly to each property
• Other IHA programs are also accepting applications — check the IHA website's waitlist portal for the current list
• Lottery and preferences: IHA uses a lottery system with a local preference for Marion County residents. Veterans, elderly, disabled, and working families may also receive priority
• Income limits for a family of 4 (Marion County): Low Income (80% AMI) about $88,550/year; Very Low Income (50% AMI) about $55,350/year. Many working families qualify
• Apply to neighboring authorities too: Beech Grove, Lawrence, Carmel/Hamilton County, and the Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority (IHCDA, statewide) run separate programs
• Status check: call IHA at (317) 261-7200 if you've already applied and need to verify your position on the list

For the national application process, see our step-by-step Section 8 guide and how to find your PHA.

Emergency Rental Assistance in Indianapolis (Named Programs)

If you're behind on rent or can't pay this month, these are the local programs currently operating in Indianapolis. Funding shifts month to month — always call to confirm current availability:

• Township Trustees (Marion County's main rental assistance source) — every Marion County township maintains a Trustee office that distributes township tax-funded emergency assistance to residents of that township. Call the Trustee where you live: Center Township ((317) 633-3610) covers downtown and many central neighborhoods. Other townships include Lawrence, Pike, Wayne, Warren, Washington, Perry, Franklin, and Decatur. Find your township at indy.gov
• Damien Center — Direct Emergency Financial Assistance (DEFA) — emergency rent, utility, and other financial help for Indianapolis residents. Originally focused on people living with HIV; now broader. damien.org
• Catholic Charities Indianapolis — emergency financial assistance, food, immigration legal services, and case management. Spanish-language services available
• St. Vincent de Paul Society of Indianapolis — one-time emergency rental and utility help through local parish conferences
• Salvation Army of Indianapolis — eviction prevention assistance and utility help
• Indy East Promise Zone — housing resources, financial counseling, and referrals for residents of the east-side promise zone
• Volunteers of America Indiana — supportive housing for veterans, women in recovery, and reentry populations

The Indiana Emergency Rental Assistance (IERA2) program has ended

The statewide IERA2 program closed on April 15, 2025 — all federal pandemic funds are spent. Note: Marion County residents were never eligible for IERA in the first place; Indianapolis has its own city-funded rental assistance instead. If anyone tells you to "apply to Indiana ERA," that information is out of date for Indianapolis. The current paths are Township Trustees, Damien Center, and the named nonprofits above.

Utility assistance: EAP (Energy Assistance Program)

In Indiana, LIHEAP is administered as the Energy Assistance Program (EAP) through Community Action of Greater Indianapolis (CAGI) for Marion County. Heating help runs November–May; cooling assistance available in summer. Apply through CAGI or by calling 211. Lowering your utility bill frees up cash for rent.

Tenant Rights in Indiana

Indiana has a landlord-friendly legal framework with fewer protections than many states. Knowing the specific rules can save your tenancy:

• No source-of-income protection: Indiana does not have a statewide law preventing landlords from refusing Section 8 vouchers. Indianapolis has no local ordinance. Finding a landlord who already accepts vouchers is part of the work — IHA maintains a list of participating landlords
• 10-day notice for nonpayment (Indiana Code §32-31-1-6) — longer than many states, but still short. Pay or arrange a payment plan as fast as possible
• 30-day notice for month-to-month termination from either party
• Security deposit return: 45 days to return the deposit or send an itemized list of deductions (IC §32-31-3-12). Indiana does not cap the deposit amount
• Warranty of habitability: Indiana Code §32-31-8 requires landlords to keep the unit in safe and sanitary condition — working plumbing, heating, electrical, hot water, and a safe structure. The remedies are narrower than in many states; document everything in writing
• No state-law protection against retaliation: Indiana law provides limited explicit protections against retaliatory eviction. Federal fair housing protections still apply if the retaliation is for protected reporting
• Self-help eviction is illegal: Indiana case law and statute prohibit landlords from locking you out, shutting off utilities, or removing belongings. They must go through small claims or superior court
• Fair housing: discrimination based on race, color, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, or disability is illegal under federal law and Indiana Civil Rights Law (IC §22-9.5). The Indiana Civil Rights Commission and the Indianapolis Office of Equal Opportunity handle local intakes

For free legal help: Indiana Legal Services represents low-income tenants statewide; Neighborhood Christian Legal Clinic serves Indianapolis. For state-level details, see our Indiana housing resources. If you experience discrimination, see how to file a housing discrimination complaint.

Other Housing Programs in Indianapolis

• Public housing: IHA owns 560 public housing units across Indianapolis. With the waitlist open in 2026, this is one of the most accessible paths — call (317) 261-7200
• LIHTC (Tax Credit): privately owned income-restricted apartments. Indianapolis has a sizable LIHTC inventory. Search HUD's LIHTC database for properties in Marion County. See how to find LIHTC housing
• HUD-VASH (veterans): combines a voucher with VA case management. Indianapolis-area veterans are referred through the Richard L. Roudebush VA Medical Center. See how to apply for HUD-VASH
• Rapid Rehousing & Permanent Supportive Housing — coordinated through CHIP (Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention). Access via Coordinated Entry (call 211)
• IHCDA Programs — Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority administers down-payment assistance, hardest-hit foreclosure help, and homebuyer programs statewide. in.gov/ihcda
• HUD-approved housing counseling: find a counselor through the HUD counselor locator — INHP (Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership) offers counseling and homebuyer programs

Next Steps

Not sure which program is right for you? Our Where to Start tool asks a few quick questions about your situation — emergency vs. long-term, family vs. individual, employed vs. on benefits — and routes you to the right combination of programs. It takes about two minutes.

If the IHA Public Housing waitlist is still open by the time you're reading this, applying there is your strongest move right now — call (317) 261-7200 or visit indyhousing.org. If you're behind on rent, call your Township Trustee first — that's the largest local source of rental help in Marion County.