Through IU Center for Rural Engagement's community impact process, residents and organizations in Greene County, Indiana indicated that people experiencing homelessness is an issue in their community. There are no shelters for people experiencing homelessness in Greene County, and service providers noted that people are living in buildings with tarps for roofs, missing floors, and no utilities, as well as in tents, cars, and campers.
To suggest new policy and program directions appropriate for addressing homelessness in Greene County, IU O'Neill School of Public and Environmental Affairs faculty Laura Littlepage led the community in collecting needed data. Reliable measurement is integral to defining a public policy problem, and while the measurement of people experiencing homelessness anywhere is challenging, it is even more difficult in rural areas.
About Greene County
According to the 2019 U.S. Census Bureau, 32,261 people live in Greene County, with a total of 15,319 housing units of which 10,175 (79.8%) are owner-occupied, which is higher than the 69.1% rate for Indiana. While people in Greene County are more likely to live in owner-occupied housing, they are also more likely to have lower income and be living below the poverty rate.
Median household income in Greene County was $51,613 compared to Indiana’s $56,303, while the poverty rate was 13.5% compared to 11.9% for the state, and the poverty rate for children was 19.9% compared to 15.1% for the state.
"Nobody wants to consider themselves homeless, even if they live in an abandoned building or a car."
-Laura Littlepage, IU faculty member who led research conducted in Greene County
Approach
"Regardless of the time period over which the study was conducted, many people will not be counted because they are not in places researchers easily find. This group of people, often referred to as the 'unsheltered' or 'hidden' homeless, frequently stay in automobiles, campgrounds, or other places that researchers cannot effectively search."
To address the issue of the “hidden” homeless in rural areas, leaders of the study connected with people experiencing homelessness through two local social service providers in Greene County: Family Life Center (FLC) and Open Arms Christian Ministries.
The Family Life Center of Greene County, Indiana, Incorporated, is a 501c3 organization with a mission to provide all the members of a family with the support required to enhance the emotional, social, mental, spiritual, and physical balance in their lives. In doing this, the FLC serves their community by teaching, training, and supporting them. They have a food pantry and a clothes pantry.
Open Arms Christian Ministries is a nonprofit organization committed to serving neglected, abused, and troubled youth by providing homes and education to those who need hope in a desperate time in their lives. Because of COVID restrictions, researchers involved in data collection did not reach out to them until after their classes had ended for the year, which made data collection difficult.
It is important to note that those experiencing homelessness in rural areas have different experiences with being homeless. They typically are experiencing homelessness for the first time and experience shorter and fewer episodes of homelessness during their lifetime.
Key facts about the survey
- Total participants: 52
- Range of ages: 19-68
- A total of 27 children were among those under age 40.
- One-third of women experiencing homelessness were a victim of domestic violence
- A total of 40% of participants were experiencing homelessness under the Department of Education's definition of homelessness.
- An additional 10% reported they were couch surfing
Through 52 interviews, participants revealed that mental health, substance misuse, and domestic violence were common issues that were not well-addressed in their community and that poverty often fast-tracked struggling individuals and families to homelessness.
Additionally, a number of individuals commented on the lack of availability of low-income housing for young to middle-aged people, which contrasts with the availability of low-income housing for the elderly or disabled in public housing.
Recommendations
The survey found that Greene County has at least 51 people, including 27 children, with no place to live, and has drawn attention to the need to help the homeless population in rural areas. After reviewing the survey and the results, researchers suggested creating a task force in Greene County that would include members from the government, agencies, non-profits, churches, and schools. Another suggestion to improve life for those experiencing homelessness would be the creation of a preventive volunteer program to provide repairs to make homes habitable, as well as using the low-income housing tax credit to provide more affordable rentals.
Resources
Report
Articles and media coverage
- New study on homelessness in Greene County finds lack of resources to address issue
- STUDY: Over 50 people without proper shelter living in Greene County
- Homelessness continues to increase in Greene County
- Podcast Episode On Topic with IU -- Rural homelessness in Indiana
- Homelessness Study in Green County