This story was originally published by TheStatehouseFile.com.
By Schyler Altherr
TheStatehouseFile.com
April 9, 2025
A bill looking to improve the lives of Hoosier veterans passed the Indiana House Tuesday afternoon. Senate Bill 433 would set new standards of practice for the Indiana Department of Veterans Affairs (IDVA) and give veterans facing eviction a break on their first eviction hearings.
This bill comes as Indiana is currently going through an eviction epidemic, with 301,625 eviction filings since March 2020, according to the Eviction Lab. Indianapolis alone is experiencing higher eviction rates than New York City and Houston.
In Indiana, housing shortages are disproportionately affecting veterans. A report from HVAF of Indiana, an organization that supports veterans, stated that one in 10 homeless Hoosiers is a veteran.
Rep. Renee Pack, D-Indianapolis, wrote an amendment to SB 433 that “provides a stay in an eviction action if the defendant demonstrates to the court that the defendant has applied for housing assistance from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or the IDVA.”
“This measure will save veterans who have been through so much for their country from the stress of eviction and facing homelessness,” said Pack.
