“Looking for ways to help”
Best Practices in Indiana Township Trustee Assistance
At a time when many Indiana township trustees’ practices are being criticized and township funding is at risk, this new report highlights township trustees across multiple counties who are using their authority, funding, creativity, and compassion to provide timely, effective assistance to Hoosier households.
By showing not only what the law requires, but also what strong township leadership can achieve, this report provides real-world examples of solutions in action. For example, highlighted trustees are loosening red-tape restrictions on who can receive assistance, creating warming centers and shelters for the unhoused, setting up mobile medical clinics, and providing car seats and diapers to families in need.
The report is co-authored by the Greater Indianapolis Multifaith Alliance, Indiana Legal Services, the IU McKinney Health and Human Rights Clinic, HealthNet Homeless Initiative Program, the Housing Justice Task Force of Meridian Street United Methodist Church, and RDOOR.
Housing Is A Human Right
This coalition has not been shy about criticizing trustees who are not providing effective assistance. In January, 2025, members of this coalition, all of whom work with low-income Central Indiana residents in need of housing and other assistance, published a report on the township trustees of Marion County, Marion County Township Trustees: Opportunities Seized; Opportunities Missed, available at https://www.indymultifaith.org/trustee-report . Our 2025 report found that some township trustees in Marion County were failing the city’s most vulnerable residents through needless delays, denials, and underused funds. It also provided a comprehensive blueprint for how township assistance could work better for the people who rely on it.
This follow-on report builds on that foundation in two ways: First, we broaden our scope beyond Marion County, recognizing that the need for effective township assistance extends far beyond Indianapolis. Second, this report shows what is working.
Our hope is that the examples in this report encourage more trustees to adopt practices that meet the moment and ensure Hoosiers receive the assistance they both need and deserve. We also hope this report helps communities hold trustees accountable who do not meet this standard. As Indiana Township Association Executive Director and Township Trustee Debbie Driskell said in an interview for this report, “A good trustee should be looking for ways to help.”
Housing Justice Task Force