Today, Prosperity Indiana staff expressed support for SB 485, a measure that, if enacted, would provide for a new home modification loan pilot program to help homeowners in Lake, LaPorte and Porter Counties.  

The program would allowing the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority to make zero interest or low interest loans low- and moderate-income individuals or families that include individuals with disabilities or individuals who have a child with disabilities to improve accessibility.  Below is the testimony Prosperity Indiana's staff provided today in support of the measure.

TESTIMONY IN SUPPORT OF SB 485
KATHLEEN LARA, POLICY DIRECTOR
FEBRUARY 13, 2017

Chairman Grooms and members of the committee,

Thank you for the opportunity to speak this morning. My name is Kathleen Lara and I am the Policy Director for Prosperity Indiana, a network of 230 non-profit organizations, units of local government, private companies and institutions dedicated to building vibrant communities and resilient families.

Our member network is devoted to expanding economic opportunity and improving the quality of life in communities of all sizes throughout the state. That is why I come before you today in support of SB 485.

Our members know that while the economy has been improving overall, hundreds of thousands of Hoosiers still struggle to meet their basic needs such as housing, child care, food, transportation, and health care.

In fact the Out of Reach Report from the National Low Income Housing Coalition ranks Indiana 38th in the country for housing affordability. That is particularly true for families that include and individual with a disability, as our state has a deficit of safe, affordable and accessible housing. We have numerous member initiatives, including work with the Legacy Foundation in Lake County working to bolster efforts to address community development concerns, including housing affordability so we are encouraged by the introduction of this bill.  We hope to work with Senator Melton to address some administrative concerns we have with regards to the structure of this bill, but believe this is an important measure that should move forward.

Thank you for your time today.