Study says Indiana housing cost burden is severe and statewide

A report released recently by the statewide membership organization Prosperity Indiana and the National Low Income Housing Coalition says the state’s affordable housing shortage and “severe” housing cost burden is statewide.

The shortage is worst for Hoosier renters with extremely low incomes across all 92 counties, and Indiana's supply and cost burden remain behind the Midwest average.

The report found a statewide shortage of 120,796 affordable and available rental homes for extremely low-income renter households, defined as those with incomes at or below the poverty level or 30% of their area median income, whichever is greater.

This means there are 39 affordable and available rental homes for every 100 extremely low-income Hoosier renter households. 

According to the report, because of the statewide shortage, 70% of the renter households spend more than half of their incomes on housing, which leaves little left over for basic necessities. 

The report also found that Black and Brown Hoosier households are twice as likely or more to be extremely-low-income renters than white households and bear a “disproportionate burden” of Indiana’s affordable housing shortage.