Category Archives: Current News

Report: Indiana needs more affordable rentals, especially for poorest Hoosiers

Current News

Indiana needs more than 125,000 additional rental homes that are affordable and available to the poorest Hoosiers, according to new research from Prosperity Indiana and the National Low Income Housing Coalition.

Their report “The Gap: A Shortage of Affordable Homes,” released in March, found that just 75,219 affordable rental homes are available for 202,171 extremely low-income Hoosier households. That means only 37 affordable rental homes are available for every 100 of those households. And almost three-quarters are severely burdened by the cost of the housing they can find, putting them at risk of homelessness.

The Indianapolis/Carmel/Indianapolis metropolitan area has just 23 affordable and available rental homes for every 100 extremely low income households.

“While Indiana likes to tout being an affordable place to live, I think two questions need to be asked: for whom and compared to what?,” Property Indiana Executive Director Jessica Love said in a news release. “In looking at the data, what we see is how Indiana continues to fail our lowest-income renters, especially when compared to our peers. Only one Midwest state is less affordable than Indiana.”

So why the shortage? Without significant public subsidies, the private housing market does not provide an adequate supply of housing affordable to the poorest renters. Indeed, even if rents fall in an economic downturn, they won’t drop enough for extremely low income households. In fact, a decline in rental income can prompt profit-minded owners to upgrade existing units in order to bring in higher-earning households—or convert properties to other uses.

That is why HAND’s work is so important. As a nonprofit Community Housing Development Organization, HAND is committed to building and preserving affordable housing for the long run. To accomplish this, it works with funding partners like the Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority, Federal Home Loan Bank of Indianapolis, and the Noblesville Housing Authority to bring its developments to fruition.

HAND joins the NLIHC and Prosperity Indiana in advocating for increased production and preservation of affordable rental housing, an increase in rental assistance resources for the lowest income households, a stabilization fund to prevent evictions, and stronger legal protections for renters.

Make a donation today to help keep the suburbs livable, with #housing4all regardless of age, income or occupation.

Partner feature: RealAmerica builds housing for ‘missing middle’ seniors

Current News, Fishers,

Indianapolis developer RealAmerica continues to stride ahead of the curve, building innovative housing concepts in Fishers. One of its newest properties, Ritchey Reserve, is designed for growing group of seniors.

With the retirement age rising and pensions decreasing, many seniors are unable to simply retire and live in a high-priced condo. Yet based on their income, they are unable to qualify for affordable housing options.

RealAmerica owner and President Ronda Shrewsbury Weybright, calls this the “Missing Middle”—and aims to fill the gap.

Expected to debut this summer, Ritchey Reserve provides 55 apartment homes for seniors ages 62 and older, offering all of the desirable luxury amenities at attainable price points.

Another innovative concept is RealAmerica’s independent senior services model. Why charge seniors a flat fee for all-inclusive services when most don’t even utilize all services offered? At Ritchey Reserve, there is no added cost for services that may not be used. Allowing residents to choose the services they want based on individual needs and preferences and then helping connect them with those services is the goal of Ritchey’s concierge service component.  

Services include helping residents connect with local providers, continue their rehabilitation or physical therapy, receive regular health checks and on-site quarterly health and wellness screenings, schedule beauty services at the on-site salon, ride a shuttle to local shopping centers and events, request local grocery and prescription delivery, and coordinating food delivery services.

Located in the heart of Fishers on the Nickel Plate Trail at 106th Street and Hague Road, Ritchey Reserve is surrounded by a woodland preserve and includes two miles of wooded trails, encouraging seniors to stay active. All RealAmerica properties are pet friendly, and Ritchey’s amenities include a dog park and pet wash station.

The on-site library and hair salon make it easy for seniors who prefer not to leave the facility. For visiting families from out of town, a guest suite is available for rent. For seniors that have a green thumb, raised bed community gardens are included to encourage residents to grow their own food and stay active.  

Ritchey Reserve’s grand opening is tentatively scheduled for August 2021 with move-in dates as early as July. The waitlist is filling fast, and applications are now being accepted. For more information and to get on the list, visit HomeAtRitcheyReserve.com or call (317) 842-5512.

To learn more about Ronda’s vision for serving seniors in Fishers, please watch this video: https://youtu.be/OkKSVFEqUbo 

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RealAmerica is supporting HAND as a Partner-level sponsor for 2021-2023.

HAND adjusts plans for Tipton senior apartments

Current News,

Construction of five rental units for low-income seniors in Tipton is expected to begin this spring after several months of public meetings and legal proceedings caused HAND to adjust its plans.

HAND originally planned to build nine rental units on five residential lots it owns on Southwood Drive, just east of the Tipton High School football field. But a Boone County special judge ruled in November that the nonprofit developer cannot build duplexes that cross platted lot lines, sending HAND and its design team back to the drawing board.

New designs are being finalized and cost projections are being updated in order to resubmit the project to the Indiana Housing & Community Development Authority, which awarded HAND $2 million for the 9-unit development in 2019.

The Tipton Board of Zoning Appeals ruled in June 2020 that HAND could build seven units on the site, more than the five allowed by the city’s development standards. To build nine units, HAND needed a zoning variance reducing the minimum lot size from 8,000 square feet per unit to about 4,500 square feet per unit. The BZA agreed to a compromise of 5,275 square feet per unit, but neighbors objected and asked for a judicial review of the decision.

The revised plans call for one stand-alone rental unit to be built on each HAND-owned lot.

Fishers City Council OKs HAND rezoning request

Current News,

The Fishers City Council voted 5-4 on Feb. 15 to approve HAND Inc.’s request to rezone 1.8 acres of mostly vacant land that could be the site of 11 affordable rental cottages.

Their decision allows HAND to proceed with planning for its proposed Cumberland Cottages development at the southwest corner of 141st Street and Cumberland Road.

An application for project funding through the HOME Investment Partnerships Program is due in May, with a decision expected in August.

Cumberland Cottages would be HAND’s first rental property in Fishers. As designed, it would include 11 two- and three-bedroom rental cottages clustered around shared green space.

City approval was far from certain after members of the Fishers Plan Commission voted 8-1 against the rezone request, citing the planned density, the property’s location near a roundabout, and traffic concerns.

“We are used to getting push-back whenever we propose a new development,” HAND Executive Director Andrea Davis said. “Once construction is done and residents move in, though, most critics realize our properties are actually a community asset.”

Staff at Fishers’ Planning and Zoning Department recommended the City Council approve the rezoning, and HAND worked to address members’ concerns about Cumberland Cottages.

Although several members of the Plan Commission and City Council suggested another site might be more appropriate for the development, Davis explained the the Cumberland Road property is ideal because of its proximity to a wide range of services as well as jobs.

Adding 11 units to an area that already has hundreds of homes—including clusters of attached housing that are far more dense than Cumberland Cottages would be—will not significantly effect traffic, Davis said.

The proposed Cumberland Cottages, shown just southwest of the roundabout at 141st Street and Cumberland Road, would add 11 rental cottages to an area that has hundreds of homes.

A letter from the city’s traffic consultant, prepared at the request of the Fishers Engineering Department, confirmed that 11 cottages would have “no negative effect on the surrounding street system” or on the nearby roundabout.

HAND and its development team will continue to work with the city to fine-tune the Cumberland Cottages proposal. One priority will be to identify funding to upgrade the planned carports to garages.

HAND also plans to form a task force to explore future housing opportunities in Fishers, including homeownership options.

Davis said the Noblesville-based nonprofit already has heard from several Fishers residents interested in renting a unit in Fishers. If the project is funded, the waiting list for Cumberland Cottages will open in 2022.

The Cumberland Cottages development team includes architect David Rausch Studio, Weihe Engineers, and Meyer Najem Construction.

Given the shortage of affordable housing options in the suburbs, local media outlets have been covering HAND’s proposal:

Tell us: What makes your house a home?

Current News, ,

Almost a year into the COVID-19 pandemic, many of us are ready to get out of the house! But at HAND, we know how fortunate we are to have safe, stable housing where we can stay healthy.

So let’s all take some time to reflect on what makes our homes so special.

Download a “Home Is …” sign here (or make your own) and personalize it to let us know what makes your home special. Then share the photo on HAND’s Facebook page or email us, and we’ll share the love.

We’ll post them on social media in the coming weeks to demonstrate why it is so important for communities like ours to embrace #housing4all.