Resource Sections
Financial Resources
IERA-2 Indiana Emergency Rental Assistance
As of 4.20.2023 Limited funds are available for renters that have been financially impacted by COVID19 and have not already received more than 15 months prior IERA assistance. You must be experiencing housing instability, your landlord is willing to participate in the program, have a current lease and meet financial eligibility requirements to qualify. You will be asked for income info and other documentation.
To apply to the IERA Program for the first time call 2-1-1 and make sure to mention “rental assistance” to the 2-1-1 operator. You will have the option to begin an application over the phone or be connected to the SCCAP office who will offer assistance. The SCCAP Office phone number is (812) 339-3447.
If you already have an active application you can access the applicant portal here. You are encouraged to check your email frequently for requests for additional information that may be necessary to complete documentation for your household.
More information on the IERA Program is at indianahousingnow.
Township Trustee Assistance
Your Township Trustee can provide assistance with basic necessities such as food, shelter, utilities and medical care for residents within their township that meet income guidelines and other requirements.
There is an application process which requires that you provide documents for review and have an interview with a Case Investigator to determine eligibility. If you qualify for assistance, it will typically be provided as a payment made directly to your landlord or utility provider.
You can contact your Township Office for information on what services are available, how to obtain an application, financial guidelines and documentation requirements and to schedule an appointment.
If you are not sure what Township you live in, you can go to MyBloomington and type in your address the click on the green (within) or red (outside City) button and scroll down to see your Township.
Individual Township Information is listed further below for Bloomington, Perry, Van Buren & Richland Townships (based on largest # of rentals). A Township Map and Township Trustee Contact Info is available to view & download here as a .pdf
Individual Township Information
You can contact the Bloomington Township Trustee at 812-336-4976 to make an appointment for financial assistance. They are getting many requests so the quicker you can get on their schedule, the better. Their office is located at 924 W 17th St Suite C, Bloomington, IN 47404. Note: The office is currently closed to walk-in traffic so you will need to call for an appointment. Here is a link to their website for information on their application procedures and requirements: Bloomington Township Site
You can contact the Perry Township Trustee at 812-336-3713 to make an appointment for financial assistance. They are getting many requests so the quicker you can get on their schedule, the better. Their office is located at 1010 S Walnut St. #A Bloomington, IN 47414. Note: The office is currently closed to walk-in traffic so you will need to call for an appointment. Here is a link to their website for information on their application procedures and requirements: Perry Township Site
You can contact the Van Buren Township Trustee at 812-825-4490 to make an appointment. They are located at 2123 S Kirby Rd. Bloomington, IN 47403 and here is a link to their website for info on their requirements and application info: Van Buren Township Site
You can contact the Richland Township Trustee at 812-876-2509 to make an appointment. They are located at 416 S. Park St. Ellettsvile, IN 47429 and here is a link to their website for info on their requirements and application info: Richland Township Site
Monroe County United Ministries (MCUM):
MCUM offers emergency assistance for overdue rent or utility bills and requires that you have met with your Township Trustee before applying for assistance. More information is on their website MCUM Site.
Here is the link to apply online: MCUM Application Form or you can complete a paper application at MCUM’s Self-Sufficiency Center located at 827 West 14th Court Bloomington, IN 47404 between noon-4pm M/Tu/Th/Fri (closed Wednesdays). For questions or to request for an appointment contact Erin evaughn@mcum.org or 812-339-3429 ext. 15.
If the online application notes “We have exhausted all emergency funds for the month” please check back after the first weekday of the next month or whatever date is noted.
A list of churches providing possible assistance can be found on MCUM’s brochure.
Shalom Center/Beacon Inc.:
Beacon has temporary funding for rental arrears and security deposit assistance for those that qualify. Shalom Center is a day shelter located at 620 South Walnut Street, Bloomington, IN 47401 with breakfast 8am-9am, lunch 12-1:30pm, restrooms, and walk-in case management available 9am-3pm Monday through Friday on a first come, first serve basis. The phone# is (812) 334-5728 and their Outreach Coordinator can be reached at x121 (this extension is street outreach for people already unhoused). The Shalom Center phone# is (812) 334-5728 with services provided in-person or through street outreach for people that are currently unhoused.
St. Vincent de Paul Society:
SVdP may be able to provide short term financial assistance towards rent, utilities and medical copays. They ask that if possible you see your Township Trustee first before meeting with their financial aid volunteers. You can send your request through their online form or by calling 812-961-1510 Ext 2 and leave a message. Someone will attempt to call you back usually within 24 hrs. More information is available on their website: St. Vincent de Paul Society Site
Salvation Army:
Salvation Army requires that you have met with your Township Trustee Office in the past 2 months and provide a copy of the Trustee’s letter documenting what assistance is/is not being provided. Note that emergency assistance funds are limited and typically no more than $150. Call 812-336-4310 10am-5pm M-F to make an appointment with the Director of Social Services.
Additional Resources
Legal & Mediation Resources
Legal Resources
For legal information specific to Landlord-Tenant cases, go to the Eviction Court page on our website.
Indiana Legal Services:
To apply with ILS to see if you qualify for free legal assistance, call 1 844-243-8570 Monday – Friday from 10 am – 2 pm EST or complete an application online at indianalegalservices. Their website states “Please call our intake hotline if you have a hearing, will be evicted, or other deadline within the next seven days.” Make sure to include the case# if you have received a notice from your landlord or have a hearing scheduled.
Note: This is a centralized intake process. After you complete a financial interview and provide details about your case, your file may be assigned to the closest ILS Office. The ILS Bloomington office provides legal services to 14 counties, including Monroe County.
IU Student Legal Services (for currently enrolled IU students):
Free, confidential legal advice and services for IU Bloomington students. IU SLS licensed attorneys and legal interns are experienced in handling a variety of legal matters. To request free legal advice and services, please complete an intake form to request services. Here is the link: IU Student Legal Services Request Form
If you need to speak to someone before submitting an intake, please call (812) 855-7867 to leave a message and your call will be returned to answer questions.
Indiana Legal Help:
Through the Indiana Legal Help website you can ask a question online, or text or email or chat with a live Navigator. You can also access self-help resources such as Court forms including Eviction Sealing, information on Indiana’s Landlord-Tenant Settlement Program and a link to the “Knowing Your Rights as an Indiana Renter” video on Youtube (last update Oct 2022), IERA- Indiana Emergency Rental Assistance resources and Housing Counseling information. Go to indianalegalhelp then select the Legal Topic “Housing” and then “Rent and Eviction”.
If you do not have internet or printer access there is an Indiana Legal Help kiosk (seen below) on the 2nd floor of the Monroe Co. Public Library at 303 E Kirkwood Ave. downtown Bloomington. There is also a desktop kiosk in the Courtroom 212 lobby of the Monroe Co. Justice Building 301 N College Ave. Bloomington. You can access forms and print from the kiosk.
Indiana Free Legal Answers:
This is an APA-American Bar Association virtual legal advice clinic where you post your civil (non-criminal) legal question online to be answered by a licensed pro bono attorney. You are required to register online and create an account to ask your question and will receive an email when there is a response. They can be found at Indiana Free Legal Answers.
Self-Service Legal Center:
This is an Indiana Supreme Court resource with accessibility settings and translations to multiple languages providing information and resources for self-represented parties, including a glossary of common legal terms, instructions for e-filing and preparing for court. It can be found at www.in.gov/courts/selfservice/unrepresented/.
Mediation Resources
CJAM–Community Justice and Mediation Center:
CJAM is a private non-profit serving Bloomington and Monroe Co. residents since 1995. Their organization promotes an engaged, civil, just, and inclusive community and makes their services accessible to the vulnerable and under-served. CJAM offers free, confidential mediation services to tenants and landlords wanting assistance communicating with each other to facilitate agreements.
Their Landlord-Tenant coordinator can be reached directly by phone at (812) 269-6353 or by email at l-tmediation@cjamcenter.org.
More information on mediation services offered by CJAM can be found here: cjamcenter.org/community-mediation/
Fast-Track Facilitation:
This free state-wide program is offered through the Indiana Judicial Branch and is similar to a Landlord and Tenant Settlement Conference. All communication can be completed over the phone or online and you can participate even if you already have an eviction case filed in court. More information can be found at Indiana.gov.
Program requirements:
- Both the tenant and the landlord (the parties) must agree to participate.
- If you have a pending court case, request a facilitation at least 15-20 days before your next court date to allow time for the facilitation to be completed. Otherwise, you may have to request a continuance from the court.
- You can only do this once. Only one facilitation between you and your landlord is allowed under this program. If you are a landlord, you can have only one facilitation per tenant.
Housing - Navigation & Case Management
Shalom Center/Beacon Inc.: Beacon has temporary funding for rental arrears and security deposit assistance for those that qualify. Shalom Center is a day shelter located at 620 South Walnut Street, Bloomington, IN 47401 with breakfast 8am-9am, lunch 12-1:30pm, restrooms, and walk-in case management available 9am-3pm Monday through Friday on a first come, first serve basis. The phone# is (812) 334-5728 and their Outreach Coordinator can be reached at x121 (this extension is street outreach for people already unhoused). The Shalom Center phone# is (812) 334-5728 with services provided in-person or through street outreach for people that are currently unhoused.
SocialServe Listings: You can enter your zipcode and find current apartment listings as well as search for specific items such as section 8 vouchers, accessibility, pets, etc. The link that is attached for Bloomington but you can search for elsewhere by selecting by selecting “Choose a different area” in the middle of the page. The advanced search option allows you to put in a specific property, get info on amount of security deposit and see if utilities, etc. are included in rent.
Friend’s Place/Beacon Inc.: Overnight, emergency shelter for sober adults (age 18+) with priority given to Monroe County residents. The shelter is open daily from 5:15pm – 7:45am. To access an available bed, guests should arrive at Friend’s Place 5:15pm at 919 S. Rogers St. in Bloomington. Clients can sleep, eat two meals a day, wash their clothes and take care of personal hygiene needs. There are 40 beds, 28 for men and 12 for women so there may not be openings. Availability can be checked through the Shalom Center (812) 334-5728 or call Friend’s Place at (812) 332-1444.
New Hope for Families: Temporary emergency shelter and access to housing resources for families (one or more adults with custody of one or more minor dependents. New Hope’s phone number is (812) 334-9840 and here is a link to a form to get on their waitlist:
Middleway House: MWH provides counseling services for survivors of domestic and sexual violence. Their Legal advocates will work with clients over the phone and in person to help with issues such as completing protective orders, or other ways of receiving help from the Court and can be reached at (812) 333-7404. The Rise is a transitional shelter called for individuals and families escaping violence. For info and to get on their waiting list please call (812) 337-4510.
MWH Crisis Line 812-336-0846 is available 24 hours.
Allison Chopra is a local attorney providing free legal representation in protective order hearings and evictions with domestic violence related issues. She can be reached at achopra@d10probono.org.
New Leaf New Life: NLNL can assist with resumes, obtaining personal documentation such as BMV forms for IDs and birth certificates while taking care of any fees associated, and submitting HIP and SNAP applications. In addition, they are distributors for Access Wireless, the government phone program, and if a person qualifies for benefits they currently have phones on hand which they will receive immediately. Office hours are M-F 10am-4pm and anyone may visit to obtain resources regardless of criminal history however, we do request appointments be made for more in-depth assessments and Access phone applications. 1010 S Walnut Street Suite H Bloomington, IN 47401 Phone# 812-355-6842
Hotels for Homeless (H4H): Emergency housing to individuals and/or families experiencing homelessness, with special focus on those affected by or vulnerable to the Covid-19 pandemic. H4H is grounded in low-barrier, Housing First principles proven to reduce homelessness and preserve community resources. Go to their website under “Services” Hotels for Homeless Form to fill out a form to get on their waiting list. Email contact: h4hbloomington@gmail.com
Stride Center: Located at 312 N. Morton Street Bloomington and open 24 hours. The diversion center serves as a transition for people experiencing substance use or mental health crisis who need a connection to care and a place to go rather than hospitalization or imprisonment. The goal of the Stride Center is to deescalate the situation and connect the guest with resources in the community. Phone# 812-650-4878
Wheeler Mission-Bloomington: Short-term emergency shelter services including with meals, shower availability and clothing/toiletry item distribution. Guests are also eligible to receive case management support, life skills development, and job readiness training and referrals to other Bloomington-area social service organizations for medical, employment, and housing assistance. Wheeler Missions’s Employed program offers temporary housing and support for men who are already working full-time, part-time, or as temporary employees within the Bloomington area. They can choose to stay at Wheeler Mission—Bloomington’s Center for Men for 60 days (extensions available) in order to save money while they successfully transition into permanent, independent housing. 215 S. Westplex Ave Bloomington IN 47404 (812) 333-1905.