State task force takes on Indiana’s Housing Crisis
Indiana state legislators have (finally) realized Indiana has a housing crisis and created a Housing Task Force. The committee’s first meeting was Thursday 9/29. As the Indiana Capital Chronicle reported in its article State task force seeks balance, “do no harm” in boosting affordable housing supply, “Indiana lacks financially and physically accessible housing, government, industry and consumer groups said.”
“We have a group of potential homeowners that can’t get a loan,” said Thomas Dinwiddie, representing the Indiana Bankers Association. “It’s not because there’s not mortgage money available. It’s because they can’t find a house that’s affordable. And that’s a real shame.”
“For renters, the affordable housing gap is “huge,” said Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority Executive Director Jacob Sipe: nearly 420,000 units short for Hoosier households earning less than $50,000 annually.”
While we commend the state’s attempt at addressing the housing crisis in Indiana, the task force may be a “stacked deck” of special interests and filled with members who have a vested interest in the status quo. The Indiana Builder’s Association, the Indiana Apartment Association, and Indiana Association of Realtors all have representatives on the task force. All are known to oppose any changes to Indiana housing laws. In addition, several task force members are professional builders.
Most of the presentations were related to affordable home purchases, mortgage rates, and equitable appraisals. These are all important issues, yet only Hoosier Housing Needs Coalition’s representative Derris Ross talked about renter’s issues. Little if any attention was given to the evictions crisis.
All presentations from the first meeting are available here, http://iga.in.gov/legislative/2022/committees/housing_task_force.
Aaron Spiegel
