Indianapolis Eviction Program Faces 2027 Funding Gap

Court navigators who help tenants facing eviction could lose their jobs as the city's 2027 budget covers only part of the requested funding.

Updated on Nov. 13, 2026 in Saving

Flat-color editorial illustration of a plain limestone civic building with an empty bench in the foreground under a pale sky, evoking institutional quiet around tenant services. — Indianapolis's county-wide eviction diversion program faces a 2027 funding gap after the city budget allocated $750,000 against a $2 million request from the Office of Public Health and Safety. AI Illustration. Upload story photo >

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Should your city spend more money helping people facing eviction?

The county-wide eviction diversion program, which offers free legal aid and helps people find housing and food resources, received $1.5 million in 2026, with half coming from a last-minute funding package. The 2027 city budget includes $750,000 for the program, well short of the $2 million the Office of Public Health and Safety requested.

Why it matters

Without additional money, the court navigators who explain the legal process and refer tenants to rent and food assistance will leave the program. Landlords filed more than 18,000 evictions in Indianapolis through September, underscoring the demand for these services.

The 2027 city budget allocates $750,000 to the eviction diversion program, compared with the $2 million requested by the Office of Public Health and Safety. Landlords filed more than 18,000 evictions in Indianapolis through September, but how much additional funding the program will receive remains unresolved.

The players

Office of Public Health and Safety

The city office that requested $2 million in the 2027 budget for eviction prevention and oversees the merged county-wide eviction program.

Lawrence Township Small Claims Court

The Indianapolis-area small claims court that merged its eviction program with the city office in early 2026.

The details

The Office of Public Health and Safety and the Lawrence Township court merged two eviction programs in early 2026 into a single county-wide effort, with the city responsible for funding it. Court navigators help tenants understand the legal process and connect them with food and rent assistance, and without more money those positions will go away.

Early 2026: Two eviction programs merged into one county-wide program.
Through September 2026: Landlords filed more than 18,000 evictions in Indianapolis.
Nov. 10, 2026: Twenty-five eviction hearings are scheduled in Wayne Township Small Claims Court.
2027: The city budget includes $750,000 for the eviction diversion program.

Market Dynamics

The funding shortfall follows the early 2026 merger of two Indianapolis eviction programs into one county-wide Eviction Diversion Program, which received $1.5 million that year, half from a last-minute package. The 2027 budget's $750,000 allocation leaves the merged program well below its $2 million request.

Tenants facing eviction in Indianapolis may have less access to free legal help and referrals for rent and food assistance if the navigator positions are cut. Renters who fall behind on housing payments should contact local court or county resources early.

The takeaway

Housing stability programs depend on recurring funding, not one-time packages, so households facing rent pressure should build savings buffers and seek free legal help early when an eviction notice arrives.

What happens next

The city budget process for 2027 will determine whether the requested $2 million or a different amount is ultimately allocated to the eviction program.