Streets to Home Indy

Launched in Indianapolis in July 2025, Streets to Home Indy is a public-private partnership that aims to end chronic and unsheltered homelessness in Indianapolis by 2028. The first phase of the initiative, led by the Coalition for Homelessness Intervention & Prevention (CHIP), aims to house 300-350 unsheltered individuals over the next 12 months.

Streets to Home Indy is grounded in the belief that everyone has the right to be housed and connected to care. Through housing, supportive services, and strategic partnerships, we will make homelessness rare, brief, and non-recurring in Indianapolis. We all have a role to play. With your support, we can ensure every neighbor has a safe, stable place to call home.

Streets to Home Indy Phase 1

Phase 1 of Streets to Home Indy is using a proven national framework to resolve encampments and reduce unsheltered homelessness in cities across the country like Cleveland, New Orleans, and Dallas. Powered by $8.1 million in local, unrestricted funding from our community, Streets to Home Indy is positioned to get individuals off the streets into stability and recovery within weeks, instead of months or years.

Through targeted, intensive, and highly coordinated street outreach, housing navigation, unit acquisition, and case management, individuals at an encampment are engaged in a 4-6 week process to move directly from the streets into housing with the services they need to recover and thrive. Once individuals are housed from a site or zone, that area gets cleaned, cleared, restored to its original use, and maintained by the City of Indianapolis.

The Indianapolis Department of Public Works, Office of Public Health & Safety (OPHS), and IMPD's Homeless Unit all contribute to this effort with public resources. Phase 1's $8.1 million budget comes entirely from local, flexible sources:

  • $2.7 million from the Housing to Recovery Fund for supportive services
  • $2.7 million from the City of Indianapolis for rental assistance and operations
  • $2.7 million through philanthropic, corporate, and individual donations

St. Luke's has been involved since the inception of this plan. From bringing together partners, to organizing with Indy Action Coalition for funding, to meeting with local politicians, to hosting a screening of the film Beyond the Bridge: A Solution to Homelessness, to providing Thanksgiving meals to recently housed individuals, St. Luke's has been involved every step of the way.

Last year we raised over $80,000 towards the Faith Partner commitment to Streets to Home, with more coming in each week. We have also taken a leadership role in organizing the faith community's collection of Move-In Kits, and our congregation has already given nearly 100 move-in kits!

Make a donation to Streets to Home!
Resources

Explore & Get Involved!


Streets to Home | St. Luke's UMC
About Streets to Home What it is and how St. Luke's is involved

Streets to Home is an initiative working to address homelessness right here in Indianapolis. St. Luke's is proud to partner in this work as an expression of our calling to love our neighbors.

How St. Luke's Is Involved

One tangible way our congregation participates is through collecting Move-In Kits for individuals and families transitioning out of homelessness into stable housing. These kits provide the everyday essentials that help someone truly settle into a new home.

Download the Move-In Kit item list (PDF) to see what goes into a kit and how you can contribute.

Understanding Homelessness Facts, myths, and human stories

Homelessness is often misunderstood. Before we can truly serve our neighbors, it helps to understand the reality behind the experience.

Progress & Impact See Streets to Home in action

Streets to Home has already changed lives in our city. Take a look at what this initiative has accomplished so far.

A Family's Story From eviction to stability

This is the story of one family whose life was changed through the support of a volunteer with a nonprofit legal organization. Their experience illustrates both the complexity of homelessness and the power of community intervention.

Read the story (PDF)

As you read, consider:

  1. What challenges did this family experience that led to their housing crisis?
  2. What barriers did they face in trying to find stability? Some are named in the story; others you may be able to imagine.
  3. What resources—and resourcefulness—can you identify in this story?
Digging Deeper Explore the policy landscape

Streets to Home represents one approach to homelessness. Another approach focuses on public safety, treatment first, and accountability. Provocative language describes these positions as criminalization of homelessness vs. free housing for all. Perhaps more fair, although still simplified, is Housing First vs. Treatment First. In our own Indiana State legislature, this debate has been fierce for the past 2 legislative sessions. As of 2/16/26, SB285 containing language that favors the Treatment First position passed out of the Indiana Senate and is headed to the House.

There are some common values and some very different values at the core of these approaches. We don’t want people living—and dying—on our streets. Should we arrest people for sleeping outdoors? Should people have to clean up their act before receiving free housing? If you aren’t treating your own mental health or addiction, should someone do it for you? How can someone even begin to treat mental health or addiction while living on the street? Are shelters the answer?

If you want to explore the political landscape of how homelessness is addressed in our community and beyond, here are some resources and questions to consider.

Explore These Resources

Questions to Consider

  1. Which information resonated more with you? Can you identify the underlying beliefs or worldview that support this?
  2. Can you name 3 tenets or facts about each viewpoint?
  3. Can you name 2–3 positive attributes of each approach? How about 2–3 downsides?
  4. Do you have Scripture to support your views? Life experiences?
  5. Is safe and affordable housing a fundamental human right, or a pillar of capitalism? How is that reflected currently? What changes would you like to see?

If You Discuss This With Others

  1. Commit to learning vs. debating. Decide to learn at least one new thing from the conversation. Let go of changing anyone’s mind.
  2. Prepare thoughtfully. Read the suggested material. Pray for humility and gentleness.
  3. Listen without interrupting, then reflect back what you heard before commenting. Not every view needs a response.
  4. Make space for everyone. If some voices are dominating, consider taking turns in order or setting a timer.
  5. Create a “parking lot” for topics that arise but don’t fit the flow—write them down so they aren’t lost.
  6. Affirm each other. We really do have more in common than different. Start there, and try to end there too.