Each Indiana township has an elected trustee whose job is to help people in need. This assistance, also known as “poor relief,” is meant to cover essentials like rent, utilities, food, and medical care during times of crisis. The goal of this relief is simple: to ensure township residents who face emergencies, like eviction or homelessness, get the support they need to stay safe and secure.

Our coalition, which includes service providers as well as legal and faith-based organizations, investigated how Marion County trustees handle requests for help and where the system is breaking down. What we found was a system falling short.

While some of the county’s trustees are making positive changes, the overall system is marked by delays, denials, and underused funds. Many people who qualify for help are being denied assistance, delayed in getting support, or turned away due to confusing and outdated rules. Despite having the funds and legal obligations to help, many trustees are not meeting their duty to serve our community effectively.

Housing Is A Human Right

Here are some of the ways trustees are falling short:

1. High Denial Rates: Many people who ask for help are turned away. In some townships, as few as 13% to 16% of applicants received assistance. This matches our experience working with many applicants who are rejected despite being in obvious need. This means most people in crisis are not getting the support they need, even though trustees often have funds available to help.

2. Delays in Processing: Many trustees require people to wait weeks just to apply for assistance. These delays can be disastrous for someone who is about to lose their home, face a utility shut-off, or go without food or medicine.

3. Complicated and Inflexible Rules: Trustees sometimes deny assistance based on strict and confusing rules. For example, applicants have been rejected for spending money on rideshare services when no public transportation was available or for having rent that exceeds 30% of their income – a rule that unfairly penalizes people with no income at all.

4. Surplus Funds Left Unused: Despite the urgent needs in their communities, many township trustees end the year with millions of dollars in unspent funds. Not all of these surplus funds are available for assistance, but much of the money could have been used to help more residents facing emergencies.

5. Limited Access to Help: Most trustees require people to schedule appointments before applying, and appointment slots are often booked weeks in advance. Only a few townships offer walk-in options, making it difficult for people in immediate crisis to get help quickly.

These failures are particularly acute given Marion County’s housing crisis. Trustees are supposed to provide timely and flexible assistance to keep people housed and safe. Despite these obligations, in many cases trustees don’t provide this important safety net, which contributes to the housing crisis in our community.

Recommendations for Improvement

With the right policies, trustees can play a meaningful role in helping residents through emergencies. To better serve the community and fulfill their legal duties, township trustees should:

1. Allow Walk-in Applications: Let people apply in person without needing an appointment, so help can be accessed quickly in emergencies.

2. Faster Response Times: Commit to responding to all applications within two business days to prevent delays that can worsen a crisis.

3. Clear and Accessible Information: Publish eligibility rules, application processes, and office hours on their websites so residents know how to get help.

4. Fair Guidelines: Ensure that eligibility rules are reasonable and do not unfairly block people from getting the help they need. Guidelines should reflect the real cost of basic necessities like housing, food, and utilities.

5. Use Funds to Help More People: Trustees should use a significant portion of their budget to assist those in need, rather than allowing large surpluses to go unspent while residents suffer.

6. Support for Appeals: Provide information about legal aid for applicants who want to appeal a denial, making sure people understand their rights and options.

Marion County’s township assistance system has the potential to be a lifeline for residents in crisis. By adopting these recommendations, trustees can better fulfill their duty to provide essential support and help address the county’s growing housing and poverty crises. The time to act is now, before more residents fall through the cracks of an inconsistent and failing system.

Read the full report here