Shelter Assistance

The Trustee’s Office can provide a number of shelter assistances for those in need.  Please see below for a listing.  Again, if you should have any questions, please contact us at (219)663-0250.

SHELTER – The township shall provide aid in whatever form in necessary to provide shelter or prevent the loss of shelter so long as such aid constitutes the most economical and practical method of relieving the applicant. Clients will not be denied shelter assistance merely because they are buying their home. However, the amount paid on behalf of a client may not exceed the shelter allowance standards, (Contained in Schedule A #3), and must still meet the test of being the "most economical and practical" method of relieving the applicant. The township only pays rent for the number of bedrooms actually required for the number of persons in the household.

SHELTER DEFINED – For the purpose of administering shelter assistance, the definition of a shelter unit is a house, a mobile home, an apartment, a group of rooms, or a single room, occupied as separate living quarters, or if vacant, intended for occupancy as separate living quarters. "Separate Living Quarters" are those in which the occupants do not live and eat with any other person(s) in the building and which have direct access from the outside of the building or through a common hall. Exception to the definition of "Shelter" may include; temporary group homes and \ or shelters. (IC 12-7-2-177)

SHELTER DOCUMENTATION – Whenever an applicant requests assistance from the township, a written information statement from the applicant’s landlord is required. An "in-house" form for this purpose will be given to the applicant to have the landlord completed and return to the township. This statement will include the full name of the landlord (or the landlord’s agent if applicable); their mailing address; their telephone number, as well as other data necessary to determine eligibility of the household. Completion of this form will signify that landlord will accept payment from the trustee’s office for shelter. The form must be signed by the landlord. If a lease agreement is required, then the lease must be in the name of an adult member of the applicant’s household and a copy of the lease furnished to the township.

SHELTER LIMITATIONS – Shelter assistance will not be paid to relatives (as landlords) on behalf of an applicant when the applicant is living in the same household; to relatives (landlords) in separate housing if the housing is unencumbered by mortgage, or the property has not been previously rented by the relative to a different tenant at reasonable market rates for at least 6 six months. Nor will the township recognize expenditures (receipts) paid to relatives when living in the same household. If poor relief funds are expended, for shelter to a poor relief applicant’s relative, then the trustee may file a lien against the real property. For the purpose of this section the term "relative" includes only the parent, stepparent, child, stepchild, sibling, step-sibling, grandparent, step-grandparent, grandchild, or step-grandchild of an applicant. (IC 12-20-6-10)

RESIDENCY\SHELTER VERIFICATION – Any person in need may obtain aid from the Township where he\she lives. It is not necessary to live in a particular Township for any specific length of time so long as you live in the Township where you apply. You may also apply for assistance from a township where you are not a resident, if you are in need of temporary help and are unable to return to your township of residence for such assistance. However, a person in a township solely for assistance will be ineligible. The definition of residency\household shall not be construed to mean temporary living arrangements made available by friends, relatives, their acquaintances or social services agencies, either public or private. The residency must not be established for the primary purpose of qualifying for township assistance. In order to verify an applicant’s residency and their intent to live permanently in the township, the township shall consider the conduct of the applicant, both active and passive, as many reveal an intent to reside within a given household and within the township. Such items shall include, but are not necessarily limited to the following:

• Mailing Address
• Driver’s Licenses
• Telephone listing
• Voter’s Registration
• Utility Billings
• Address given to others
• Motor Vehicle registrations
• Addresses given to former employers
• US Postal Services "change of address" notices
• Any other item, documentation, or verification requested from the applicant Individuals in the United States without the permission of the Immigration and Naturalization Service is ineligible to receive poor relief assistance. (IC 12-20-8, IC 12-14-2.5-3)

FIRST TIME RESIDENTS – The township is not required to provide shelter assistance to an otherwise eligible individual if the (1) individual’s most recent residence was provided by the individual’s parent, guardian, or foster parent and (2) the individual, without just cause, leaves that resident for the shelter for which the individual seeks assistance. If an individual as described in this section becomes a member of another township assisted household, then the entire household may be denied assistance. (IC 12-20-16-17)

TAX SUPPORTED SHELTER PROGRAMS – The township is not under any obligation to enter into a contract or pay shelter cost, on behalf of an otherwise eligible applicant, to a public or private agency which is wholly or partially funded by federal or state funds. (IC-12-20-17-2)

HUD SUBSIDIZED SHELTER – The township will not be obligated to subsidize or otherwise provide additional shelter assistance from the township poor relief fund to households living in shelter units already paid for wholly or in part by HUD.

SHELTER DEPOSITS – It is the policy of the township not to expend any township assistance funds for payment of rental deposits. Such obligations shall be the responsibility of the applicant.

SHELTER MOVING – Clients moving, within sixty (60) days immediately preceding their application for township assistance from shelter provided by a relative, or any form, kind, or type of subsidized shelter will be declared ineligible for poor relief assistance. The burden of establishing good, just, and reasonable cause for having moved shall be upon the applicant. (IC 12-7-2-200.5)