Piece of the PI is sponsored by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis 

Piece of the PI: Newsletter

A monthly publication for the members of Prosperity Indiana

We REAP prosperity by providing Resources, Engagement, Advocacy, and Programs that support our members' work!

Resources

Spotlight on Upcoming Events 

Housing & Faith Summit: Congregational Support for Housing Affordable to Everyone In person program | November 2024 | Electric Works | Fort Wayne, IN

With support from Flagstar Bank and in partnership with the Urban Land Institute Indiana (ULI Indiana), PI will deliver a unique opportunity for faith-based organizations in northern Indiana to determine how they will advance housing that is affordable to everyone in their community. The November Summit will strengthen the ability of faith-based organizations to increase the quality and quantity of affordable units by leading a development project, partnering on a project, or providing essential services supporting housing stability. Registration opening soon!

Housing Counseling Updates

Congratulations to Jason Rucker from Community Action Program of Evansville (CAPE) for passing the HUD Certified Housing Counselor exam! Also, a shout out to Near North Development Corporation for becoming a HUD-Approved Housing Counseling Agency. For more information on housing counseling services or upcoming housing counseling training opportunities, please reach out to ddrew@prosperityindiana.org.

Indiana Bar Foundation 

In addition to connecting Hoosiers facing eviction to free legal aid organizations and self-help court forms, IndianaLegalHelp.org also has resources to help those facing other legal issues. In fact, the website is most frequently used by people dealing with legal issues related to family and safety – like child custody, child support, or divorce. Recently, the Indiana Legal Help website was updated with revised minor child guardianship forms. These forms can be used by someone who wants to become the guardian of a minor child. From IndianaLegalHelp.org, anyone can access the minor guardianship forms, complete them online or print them to be completed by hand, access instructions on how to file the forms with the court, and learn what to do after the forms are filed.

If you need help completing a legal form or don’t know which form to use, you can find a listing of legal aid organizations and free legal clinics on the Indiana Legal Help website. From the homepage click the blue “Get Legal Help” button and enter your zip code or county to find legal aid help in your area.

Did you know there are 150 Indiana Legal Help kiosks in libraries and courthouses around the state? There is at least one kiosk in every county. You can get to the Indiana Legal Help website from any kiosk and complete the minor guardianship form and print it for free. Find a kiosk near you by clicking here.

Tools You Can Use 

HUD’s Office of Housing Counseling Communications & Social Media Resources and Content for the Let’s Make Home the Goal Campaign

To support the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban’s Development (HUD) mission of helping more Americans achieve homeownership, HUD’s Office of Housing Counseling is bringing housing counseling resources to you! Their Let's Make Home the Goal campaign is reaching cities across the nation to “share homeownership opportunities and the impact of HUD certified housing counseling in helping people achieve their financial and homeownership goals.” Please use these resources to help educate others on homebuying and to promote housing counseling services for anyone looking to make homeownership their goal. To access the Office of Housing Counseling’s resources and content for the campaign, please visit here. 

Engagement

Member Site Visits

We’re excited to offer member site visits as a new way to connect! This initiative allows us to better understand your unique challenges and needs while allowing you to request specific resources and connections directly.

If you’re interested in scheduling a site visit, please contact Destinee Lewis at dlewis@prosperityindiana.org. We look forward to the chance to support you!

Let’s Extend Your Reach

We’re excited to spotlight our members’ events and career opportunities in our monthly newsletter, with job openings also featured on our website. If you have an event or job posting you’d like to share, please send the details to Destinee Lewis.

Advocacy

Policy Priorities Survey

Make your voice heard! Be sure to complete the PI Members Annual Policy Survey by the deadline on September 3. PI staff and Board will use the results of this survey to create our 2025 Policy Survey, so your responses directly impact a year’s worth of advocacy. Only one survey response per member organization will be counted, so please designate your org’s respondent.

Advocacy Opportunity

Submit a Comment on HUD Request for Information on Direct Rental Assistance by August 30. See additional information about the RFI here. 

PI Advocacy Spotlight

On August 15, Prosperity Indiana staff and members HAND, Inc. and United Way of Central Indiana and partner Outreach of Indiana met with Raphael from Congresswoman Victoria Spartz’s office to tour HAND’s new Cumberland Cottages development in Fishers. Members discussed how the development will provide 6 of the 13,370 affordable housing units needed in Indiana’s 5^th Congressional District, and why Hoosiers need Congress to increase investments in housing supply, tenant protections, and proven Housing First homelessness services. If your organization has a great story to tell or a policy need to highlight, please reach out to abradley@prosperityindiana.org and consult PI’s Get to Know Your Legislators members’ toolkit. 

Programs

Community Loan Center

Prosperity Indiana is giving a shout-out to employers in the Northwest Indiana region who recognize the value of financial wellness by providing Community Loan Center benefits to their employees. This credit-building benefits package boost is available at no charge to Indiana-based employers in every region of the state. For more information go to clcofindiana.org/employers. 

Leader Member Highlight

Cinnaire fuels affordable housing growth, community development across Indiana

Since its beginnings in Indiana in 2003, Cinnaire has invested more than $584 million in the Hoosier State creating and preserving much needed safe, affordable housing.

Cinnaire has leveraged public-private partnerships including critical federal programs to bring housing to underserved communities throughout Indiana. These programs include Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC), New Markets Tax Credit, Community Development Financial Institution (CDFI) Fund grants and Capital Magnet Fund programs.

Most recently, Cinnaire announced the closing of a LIHTC investment fund generating $23.5 million for the development and rehabilitation of two affordable multi-family apartment communities in the state. These developments will provide a much needed 136 units of affordable housing.

“Investing in affordable housing is crucial for building strong, thriving communities,” said Keith Broadnax, SVP Business Development. “It provides stability, fosters growth, and ensures that everyone has a safe place to call home. Our partnership with Indiana banks and developers supports affordable housing across the state creating positive impact for families, seniors and people with special needs in disinvested communities.”

The Monreaux in South Bend is a new construction property with 50 affordable housing units and 16 market-rate housing units for families while the Cotton Mill Apartments in Cannelton, once a cotton mill, will offer 70 units.

Cinnaire provides other services to support healthy communities including lending as a CDFI and an equity owner in CPC Mortgage, the first-of-its-kind nonprofit multifamily mortgage lender with multiple licenses with Freddie Mac, Fannie Mae and HUD/FHA. Cinnaire Title Services provides title insurance services for partners in Michigan, Indiana and Wisconsin; proactive resolution of title issues; personal attendance at closings; and full escrow services. And, Cinnaire Solutions serves as a nonprofit, mission-driven real estate development company operating in five states and specializing in community-driven, affordable, and market rate development.

PI & Member Events

• August 29: Housing Justice Conference, Indiana Justice Project

• September 3: Gateway + Empower Series, John Boner Neighborhood Centers

• October 9: Speed for Community Need, United Way of Central Indiana

• October 9-11: Reclaiming Vacant Properties Conference, Center for Community Progress

• October 10: INRC's 3rd Annual Jubilee, Indianapolis Neighborhood Resource Center

• October 11: Reimagine Conference, CoAction

PI & Member Jobs

• Outreach Coordinator, Brightpoint

• Home Visitor, Brightpoint

• Senior Superintendent, Kittle Property Group

• Housing Community Organizer, Hoosier Action

• Development and Program Specialist, The Mast Cell Disease Society

• Director of Development and Community Engagement, CoAction

• Program Coordinator, John Boner Neighborhood Centers

• Revenue Cycle Specialist, Damien Center

• Policy Analyst, Indiana Community Action Poverty Institute

PI in the News

• Nearly 100 Groups Support the CFPB’s “Buy Now Pay Later” Proposal, Which Will Protect Consumers from Harmful Practices - Americans for Financial Reform, Americans for Financial Reform

• Indiana Senators Vote Against a Bill That Would Have Expanded the Child Tax Credit, WRTV Indianapolis

• Push to Ax Indiana’s Income Tax Loses Momentum, State Affairs

• New Diploma Proposal Sparks Excitement for Some Business Leaders, Questions for Others, IBJ

Members in the News

• Indy Homelessness Up for the First Time Since 2021, Axios

• Cultivating Life Lessons: Community Garden Provides Education, Access to Agriculture, WRTV Indianapolis

• Story from Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority: CoAction Agency Tackles Housing Instability in Northwest Indiana, The Indianapolis Star

Senior Director of Policy and Strategy Andrew Bradley presenting at the Regional Meeting in Jeffersonville.

Connect with Prosperity Indiana on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to see more of what we're out in the community doing for you!

Additional Information & Opportunities

Forward Together Grant Fund for Nonprofit Organizations in the Evansville Community

The fund will be used to provide support for eligible nonprofits who lead meaningful work to help strengthen neighborhoods and provide pathways out of poverty for city residents.

Organizations may apply for up to $35,000 apiece to fund programs.

Applications can be submitted before September 5. Learn more here.

Housing First Toolkit

Policy Manager Hale Crumley has developed a comprehensive toolkit aimed at equipping advocates and partners with the necessary tools and knowledge to tackle an emerging and pressing issue: policies that make it even harder to be homeless than it already is.

To access this resource and join us in advocating for change, view the toolkit here.

T-Mobile Hometown Grant Program

T-Mobile is investing $25M in 500 rural towns over 5 years to jumpstart projects and build stronger communities. Elected officials, town managers/employees, tribal leaders, or nonprofit community leaders from small towns with population less than 50,000 can apply.

Learn more here.

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