Fixing Homelessness in Indiana
Politicized policies have kept homeless individuals trapped in dependency rather than getting them back to self-sufficiency. That’s why, despite increased spending, homelessness has continued to rise in Indiana.
The Cicero Institute Florida make a New Year’s resolution in 2025 is for the state to implement system-wide accountability and real solutions that truly serve the homeless and wider communities.
For decades, the U.S. federal government, through the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Interagency Council on Homelessness (USICH), has dominated the country’s response to homelessness via their policy response known as Housing First. It has been an unmitigated disaster.
The federal government’s preoccupation with Housing First is unlikely to change quickly–but Indiana can take action at the state level by using the funding and policy levers available to their legislatures and executives.
The Cicero Institute recommends six actions that would create pressure in certain areas and leverage federal funds to foster state-level innovation in their approaches to homelessness.
Audit public spending and outcomes on homelessness services.
Create greater public transparency for homelessness data.
Increase access to involuntary treatment for those struggling with severe mental illness.
Clear and prohibit street encampments; hold municipalities accountable for failing to enforce the law.
Designate shelters and campsites that offer security, sanitation, and services.
Create drug-free homeless service zones to ensure that everyone has a fair chance of staying sober.
A focus on outcomes-based solutions to the homelessness crisis could improve public safety and encourage human flourishing in Indiana.
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