INDIANAPOLIS — The City of Indianapolis has received a grant for a low-barrier homeless shelter from the State of Indiana. According to a press release, the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority (IHCDA) approved a $20 million grant to the City of Indianapolis to support its proposed Housing Hub. Per the city, the Housing Hub will be the first publicly constructed shelter ever built in Indianapolis. The Housing Hub will be located in the 1000 block of East Georgia Street. In September 2023, the city announced that parcels of land in the area would be dedicated to the project. The city has already committed $12 million to the project. Per the city's release, the Housing Hub "will centralize supportive resources for neighbors experiencing homelessness" and "lower barriers to shelter that can prevent an individual or family from entering existing shelters." The City of Indianapolis began negotiating with Horizon House Inc. and Aspire Indiana Health in September 2024, hoping the companies would serve as the Housing Hub's operator. Negotiations between the city, Horizon House Inc. and Aspire Indiana Health are ongoing. The city has indicated that the grant it received from the state will kick off the final stage of its negotiations. “Thanks to Governor (Eric) Holcomb and our partners at the State, this funding will help us better serve all of our neighbors experiencing homeless,” Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett said via release. “An innovative shelter that centers housing-first principles puts Indianapolis on the same track as other cities, like Milwaukee and Houston, who have made significant strides in addressing chronic street homelessness and placing individuals and families into permanent, supportive housing.” In addition to money the city and state have already invested, the Housing Hub will be funded by the Economic Enhancement District. Previous reporting indicates the EED is a special taxing district aimed at downtown Indianapolis property owners. The EED is designed to help the city raise funds for projects in downtown Indianapolis, including the Housing Hub. The grant and Housing Hub were both recommended by the state's Low Barrier Homeless Shelter Task Force. The state legislature created the task force in 2022 and subsequently approved funding for a low-barrier shelter grant as part of Indiana's 2023 biannual budget. The Housing Hub is part of the City of Indianapolis' ongoing efforts to curb homelessness. In November, the city will launch its Master Leasing pilot program. The initiative will allow the city to rent 30 apartments to homeless persons and families. In its release, the city also reported that Hogsett has a Mayor's Leadership Council on Homelessness (MLCH), which is comprised of "leaders in the civic, philanthropic, corporate and healthcare systems in Indianapolis." Per Hogsett, the MLCH is "also working to ensure the community's homeless system is responding to the disproportionate number of Black individuals and households experiencing homelessness." “Today marks another step of progress forward in our collective effort to help those experiencinghomelessness and provide meaningful solutions to a complex issue facing our city,” State Rep. Justin Moed (HD 97), a member of the State’s Low Barrier Taskforce, said in a release. “I am grateful to everyone who has collaborated to make today possible.”