Piece of the PI is sponsored by the Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis |
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Piece of the PI: Newsletter
A monthly publication for the members of Prosperity Indiana
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Join the Prosperity Indiana Board Have an interest in advancing Prosperity Indiana's strategic direction? Want to represent the farthest reaches of our state or share your unique perspective in a PI leadership role? Prosperity Indiana is actively seeking applications for new board members. While preference is given to those representing nonprofits, we welcome applications from any member. |
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We REAP prosperity by providing Resources, Engagement, Advocacy, and Programs that support our members' work! |
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Spotlight on Upcoming Events
Housing & Faith Summit: Congregational Support for Housing Affordable to Everyone | November 13, 2024 | Electric Works | Fort Wayne, IN | 10:00 a.m. - 3:00 p.m.
With support from Flagstar Bank and in partnership with the Urban Land Institute Indiana (ULI Indiana), PI is excited to provide 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 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. Register!
Have Questions About Eviction?
Hoosiers with questions about housing legal issues such as eviction can get help through the Indiana Legal Help Desk. Anyone can connect with a Legal Navigator by text, email, chat, and now over the phone every weekday from 10AM to 2PM (ET). The help desk can be found on the Indiana Legal Help website (https://indianalegalhelp.org/). Just look for the blue speech bubble on the bottom right of your screen and follow the instruction to “Click here to contact us.” Legal navigators help Hoosiers find free eviction clinics in their area, connect to attorneys who offer free services, and get information about the eviction process. Text the help desk at: (317) 548-0350 or call (386) 465-4911.
IERA Updates
Treasury Department Releases New Data about the Emergency Rental Assistance 2 (ERA 2) Program
The Treasury recently published a cumulative Emergency Rental Assistance 2 (ERA 2) report that shares, “programmatic data and participant demographic information covering the period April 1, 2021, through March 31, 2024.” The report contains information about Indiana’s ERA 2 program and provides informative and helpful data about the impact of ERA 2 in Indiana. In the data workbook, Treasury also explains that the data and information provided is reported by grantees that submitted their ERA 2 Quarter 1 2023 compliance report by June 2024 and does not provide information on any entities that were eligible to receive an ERA 2 allocation from the Treasury but decided to decline the allocation. To learn more and to access the Treasury’s report, please visit here, and scroll down to the “August 2024 Reporting” section to download the ERA 2 cumulative program data report.
Housing Counseling Updates |
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Exciting News! September 26th is the very first Housing Counselor Day!
Housing counselors are some of our greatest resources to advance your financial and homeownership goals. Some may say they’re even the “best kept secret” of homebuying. Thank you to all the HUD Housing Counselors within our network, your hard work is appreciated – enjoy your day!!
Talk to a local housing counselor today – locate a housing counselor in Indiana by visiting Prosperity Indiana’s Housing Counselor Services Map by clicking here. |
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Mental Health First Aid Training Opportunity for Housing Counselors
Attention Housing Counselors, the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) has partnered with the National Council for Mental Wellbeing to deliver Mental Health First Aid (MHFA) to Fair Housing, Multifamily Service Coordinators, and Housing Counseling Training Grantees.
Housing-related challenges can trigger significant mental health distress. The MHFA (Adult) course training will empower you to identify and understand signs of mental health and emotional distress, allowing you to provide better support and connect with the people you assist with appropriate mental health resources. This can lead to improved housing stability, increased well-being, and fewer crises requiring intervention.
By participating in this national effort, you will not just gain valuable skills but will become a key player in HUD’s mission to build resilient communities with access to both housing and mental health support. This effort will help create a more comprehensive safety net for vulnerable individuals and families.
Housing Counselors/grantees to register for Mental Health First Aid Training click here. Eviction Sealing Report Release |
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The Notre Dame Clinical Law Center and the Indiana Justice Project published a report on policy options for eviction sealing laws in Indiana.
The report outlines the following five recommendations:
- Seal all eviction records at the time of filing.
- Automatically seal, or automatically preserve sealing of, eviction records.
- Automatically seal all evictions after a period of years.
- Simplify the process for sealing evictions when a money judgment is satisfied or otherwise discharged.
- Create an explicit enforcement mechanism for improper sharing or usage of sealed eviction records.
Click here to access the whole report.
IERA Session at Housing Conference
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Prosperity Indiana attended the Indiana
Housing Conference 2024 last month, hosted by the Indiana Affordable Housing
Council (IAHC), the Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority
(IHCDA), and the Indiana Balance of State Continuum of Care (BoS CoC). Danielle
Drew and Marie Beason from PI, along with our partners Mike Commons at the
Indiana Bar Foundation and David Sneden at the Indiana Legal Aid Society
participated in a facilitated panel discussion focused on Affordable Housing
Stability Services. Thank you to our partners and participants for this
opportunity to share information/resources required to support housing
stability as well as tools to utilize in keeping Hoosiers housed. We are
looking forward to next year’s conference!
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Member Spotlight: New Hope Services
We recently had the pleasure of visiting New Hope Services, based in Jeffersonville, IN, a long-time member of Prosperity Indiana. Their mission is clear: creating opportunities for people to thrive and meeting human service needs for individuals and families across 24 counties in Indiana.
New Hope Services is dedicated to offering a range of services tailored to diverse needs. Their comprehensive approach includes:
- Ability Services: Through 9 different programs, they provide professional assistance to those who need help increasing vocational and employment skills, daily living skills, self-care, and community integration.
- Family Services: Strengthening families with respect and compassion through prevention, education, and support.
- Affordable Housing: Providing direction and leadership in the development of safe, affordable, and suitable housing in response to public needs.
PI staff had the opportunity to tour their impressive facility. New Hope Services makes the most of every square inch of its space. They have thoughtfully incorporated features such as a model apartment to support daily living skills development and community spaces that enhance their weekly programs. Our staff was met with energy and engagement from the individuals they serve, especially during the bustling Friday afternoon programs. It was proof of the organization's dedication and the positive environment they created.
New Hope Services staff engage in Prosperity Indiana webinars and trainings including our current Family Development training program and utilize the InsightVision platform to track their collective impact.
Upcoming Events & How to Get Involved
New Hope Services is offering an opportunity to experience their programs and services firsthand. You can schedule a visit or attend their next tour on December 12 at 9 am.
For more information on services and how to get involved please contact Elizabeth Boyd. Additionally, you can subscribe to their newsletter located at the bottom of their website.
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. |
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Indiana’s Voter Registration Deadline is October 7! Two questions: 1. Are you, your organization’s staff, your clients, and your partners registered to vote? 2. Are you sure? Share Prosperity Indiana’s TurboVote link to check registration status and voting information. Share Prosperity Indiana’s Our Homes, Our Votes resources with your partners This week, Prosperity Indiana released a set of Our Homes, Our Votes nonpartisan voter education and candidate engagement resources on housing and economic opportunity issues. These resources include PI’s candidate questionnaire, webinar recordings, and other tools and materials, including brand-new maps of housing data by state legislative districts. We encourage members to use these resources to educate partners and engage with candidates, because housing and stronger Indiana communities are built with ballots!
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Candidates for Indiana Governor answer Prosperity Indiana’s housing questions In interviews from the Indiana University Public Policy Institute’s Gubernatorial Forum, candidates for Indiana Governor answered questions about Indiana’s housing affordability and stability crisis and racial homeownership gap inspired by a policy brief Prosperity Indiana contributed to the series. See the candidates’ full interviews, media coverage of their housing answers, and look for PI’s policy brief on the Forum site on September 30.
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PI’s Policy and Advocacy Efforts Prove Effective! Thank you to everyone who completed PI’s annual members’ policy survey. Your feedback on policy priorities and your intel regarding urgent and emerging issues is invaluable, and your responses shaped our forthcoming 2025 Policy Agenda which will be released publicly in the coming months. Please keep an eye out for announcements about our annual Policy & Pizza regional legislator meeting series, which will take place in the period after Election Day and before the end-of-the-year holiday season. Thanks also to the 100% of members who rated PI’s policy and advocacy efforts as ‘effective’, including nearly 80% who rated those efforts as ‘very effective’. We strive to earn those ratings every day when we advocate for the interests of PI’s members. Thank you!
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Upcoming HHNC Webinar: Pushing Back on Private Equity in Housing The private equity business model enables investors to take over companies such as rental properties and quickly restructure them—usually in ways that are harmful to tenants, and ultimately, state & local economies. Their focus is on turning a quick profit for investors regardless of the risks and consequences for our communities. Join the webinar on October 17 to learn how private equity works and what other industries it exists in, Indiana's private equity risk level, and the types of policies states and municipalities are exploring to fight private equity. Register here. |
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PI staff presenting at the Indiana Housing Justice Conference. |
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Connect with Prosperity Indiana on Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn to see more of what we're out in the community doing for you! |
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Additional Information & Opportunities |
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Grants Available for Lake County Organizations by Legacy Foundation
Legacy Foundation serves the community of Lake County to improve the community’s quality of life now and in the future. Grant applications from the foundation are open now until as early as October 1. Learn more and apply here. |
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Mutz Philanthropic Leadership Institute Application
The John Mutz Philanthropic Leadership Institute identifies and develops transformational philanthropic leaders in Indiana. This cohort-based program provides a continuing education experience that prepares future leaders for board and executive roles at foundations and corporations serving communities across Indiana. Learn more here.
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United Way Leadership United Program
Leadership United participants are corporate and community leaders looking to develop their skills as nonprofit board leaders in the Central Indiana community. Participants gain insight into the challenges facing individuals and families in Central Indiana who are struggling to make ends meet and develop skills in nonprofit board leadership - leaving the program fully prepared to serve on a nonprofit board in our community.
Learn more about the program here.
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Coming Soon! Order Your Free COVID-19 Tests at the End of September 2024
U.S. households will be eligible to order 4 free COVID-19 tests at COVIDTests.gov. The COVID-19 Tests will detect current COVID-19 variants and can be used through the end of the year.
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Second Screening of Beyond the Bridge: A Solution to Homelessness
Beyond the Bridge is a documentary exploring solutions to homelessness, based on a nationwide journey to 12 cities. It emphasizes a coordinated homelessness response system, involving law enforcement, judicial systems, businesses, service providers, volunteers, and local leadership, all adhering to Housing First principles.
The showing is on Wednesday, September 25 at 6pm at Heartland Church in Fishers. Register here. |
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Prosperity Indiana 1099 N. Meridian Street, Suite 170, Indianapolis, IN 46204 (317) 222 - 1221 This email was sent to {Contact_Email}. If you no longer wish to receive emails from Prosperity Indiana, click here to manage your subscription. |
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