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keywords
Homelessness, Housing First, Low-barrier assistance 
 
abstract
This study addresses the complex challenges of 
homelessness in Bloomington, Indiana. Beacon, Inc., 
a nonprofit based in Bloomington, plays a pivotal 
role in providing support to individuals experiencing 
homelessness in south-central Indiana. Beacon’s 
approach prioritizes immediate and barrier-free access 
to shelter and housing while eliminating stringent entry 
requirements. Beacon offers three distinct programs: 
Friend’s Place, an emergency shelter; Rapid Re-
Housing, facilitating rapid transitions to stable housing; 
and Crawford Homes, providing permanent supportive 
housing.

This research, conducted in partnership with Beacon, 
employs a mixed-methods approach to examine 
homelessness in the city of Bloomington. It includes 
a literature review, quantitative data analysis from 
nationwide counts and Beacon’s programs, and 
interviews with Beacon staff to gain insights into 
the housing crisis and its unique dynamics in this 
community.

The results underscore the impact of Beacon’s programs 
in 2022 on individuals experiencing extreme poverty 
in Indiana’s Region 10, which consists of six south-

central counties. Despite the success of these programs, 
challenges persist for individuals experiencing 
homelessness, particularly in combating chronic 
homelessness. Interviews with Beacon staff highlighted 
additional barriers to housing, including high rent, 
inflexible landlords, evictions, and entanglement with 
the criminal justice system.

This study suggests the need for diverse strategies, 
including expanding Housing First programs and 
supportive housing models, as well as long-term 
government housing subsidies for low-income 
renters. These solutions can reduce reliance on 
emergency shelters and work to prevent chronic/
recurrent homelessness. By employing a mixed-
methods research approach, this study offers valuable 
insights into homelessness and housing assistance 
programs, providing a foundation for future research 
aimed at comprehensively addressing homelessness in 
Bloomington and similar communities. 
 
introduction 
Homelessness is a pressing and multifaceted issue that 
deeply affects the community of Bloomington, Indiana, 
touching the lives of its residents and demanding 
urgent attention. In 2022, the Point in Time (PIT) 
count, which is “a nationwide count of sheltered and 
unsheltered homeless persons on a single date” (HUD, 
2022), estimated that 5,449 Hoosiers were experiencing 

Understanding the Homelessness 
Crisis and Responses in  
Bloomington, Indiana

Authors
JOSIE MCQUILLAN, 
Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM) medical student, 2023 Hoosier Public Health Corps (HPHC) member

RACHEL DOWNEY, 
Hoosier Public Health Corps (HPHC)-Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM) part-time advisor/intern



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homelessness (HUD, 2022). Region 10 of Indiana, 
which includes Bloomington in Monroe County, as 
well as five other neighboring counties (Lawrence, 
Morgan, Owen, Greene, and Martin), accounted for 426 
individuals experiencing homelessness alone (HUD, 
2022). 

Notably, Bloomington is a city that has been home to 
Indiana University (IU), the state’s flagship campus, for 
over 200 years since the institution was first established 
in 1820 (Indiana University Bloomington, n.d.). As IU’s 
enrollment continues to increase at record pace this past 
year and the IU student presence in Monroe County 
grows (Indiana University, 2023), it begs the question 
of how this affects community members (Smith, 2022) 
who live in this distinct college town/city and who are 
experiencing homelessness. Overall, the housing crisis 
in Bloomington is complex, driven by factors such as 
rising median rent, a shortage of available low-income 
housing options, a significant population of college 
students, and the criminalization of homelessness. These 
challenges contribute to and perpetuate homelessness 
within the city, making it imperative to explore the issue 
comprehensively. 
 
literature review
It is essential to situate this study within the 
broader context of literature on homelessness. The 
criminalization of homelessness in the United States 
has been well documented via nationwide studies, as 
well as specific studies focused on individual U.S. cities 
(Amster, 2003; Foscarinis, 1996). Many of these studies 
focus on homelessness within heavy metropolitan areas 
or the downtowns of major cities (Love & Loh, 2023). 
However, when considering homelessness strictly within 
the context of college towns or smaller cities such as 
Bloomington, there is only preliminary research and 
data available on the situation in the United States. A 
recent study from England claims that homelessness is 
more prevalent in university/college towns within the 
country (Hurst, 2022). However, in the U.S., research 
on homelessness in college towns is covered mainly 
through individual news articles or ethnographies of 
certain towns or regions (Amster, 2003; Girdwood, 

2016; MacMillian, 2013; Malh, 2023) or focuses on 
disparities evident in adjacent inequalities, such as 
income inequality in college towns (DePieto, 2022). 
Within the context of Indiana, literature on this subject 
reveals several critical insights and highlights the 
gravity of the issue. Recent studies (HUD, 2022) have 
indicated a downward trend in homelessness in Indiana 
since 2007, which is an encouraging development. 
However, despite this overall trend, it is important to 
recognize that homelessness remains a pressing concern 
in specific communities, such as Bloomington.   
Studies emphasize the importance of examining 
the local context when addressing homelessness 
(O’Flaherty, 2019). The unique challenges faced by 
communities like Bloomington are underscored by 
localized factors. Specifically, the presence of Indiana 
University significantly influences housing availability 
and affordability. The demand for student housing not 
only raises rent but also reduces the supply of affordable 
housing units for low-income residents. Moreover, 
Bloomington’s housing crisis is compounded by an 
anti-homelessness culture at the state and city levels, 
reflected in various anti-homelessness and municipal 
laws. For example, in 2020, the Indiana General 
Assembly sought to restrict panhandling (solicitation 
or begging) statewide, a move that was later halted by 
a federal preliminary injunction (ACLU of Indiana, 
2020). Additionally, within the past year, the city of 
Bloomington has upheld comparable anti-homelessness 
laws by prohibiting tents or homelessness encampments 
in public parks (Lewis, 2023), contributing to the 
continued displacement of Bloomington’s homeless 
individuals (Stock, 2023). Such local policies can further 
marginalize individuals experiencing homelessness, 
making it crucial to explore compassionate and effective 
interventions. 

While there is a growing body of research on 
homelessness at the national and state levels, there is 
a notable scarcity of literature specifically addressing 
homelessness in Bloomington, Indiana. Only a 
few studies have explored the issue in this specific 
location, and these have primarily focused on specific 
subpopulations or aspects of homelessness. For instance, 
a recent study conducted in Bloomington examined 



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homelessness amongst people with companion animals, 
revealing their high attachment to their pets and the need 
for more pet-friendly overnight shelters (Kim, 2019). 

While this study provides valuable insights, it also 
highlights the shortage of comprehensive research on 
homelessness in Bloomington, particularly concerning 
its broader dynamics and the efficacy of existing 
interventions. 

Several national studies (Culhane, 2017; O’Flaherty, 
2019) on homelessness have emphasized the 
significance of low-barrier and Housing First approaches 
in effectively addressing homelessness. These models 
prioritize immediate and barrier-free access to shelter 
and housing, with the Housing First model gaining 
recognition for its success in reducing homelessness 
through the provision of immediate housing without 
preconditions, followed by the delivery of supportive 
services. Nonprofits, such as Beacon, Inc., that employ 
these strategies to assist homeless individuals in college 
town communities play a crucial role in advocating for 
the needs of the homeless population in these particular 
settings. 
 
beacon, inc.
Beacon, Inc., is a Bloomington-based nonprofit 
organization dedicated to aiding and empowering 
people experiencing homelessness. Beyond providing 
essential assistance programs, the staff and volunteers 
of Beacon actively engage in hands-on initiatives to 
understand and address homelessness in Bloomington. 
One important aspect of Beacon’s commitment is its 
direct involvement in the annual Point in Time (PIT) 

count. The PIT count is often completed with the 
assistance of individuals who routinely serve persons 
experiencing homelessness, and this is indeed true for 
Beacon workers and volunteers in Bloomington. This 
collaborative effort is crucial, as the trust established 
between service workers and those in crisis through 
routine interactions is instrumental in encouraging 
homeless individuals to participate in the count. This 
trust fosters an environment conducive to collecting 
accurate and insightful data.

Beacon’s approach emphasizes immediate and low-
barrier access to shelter and housing, aligning with the 
previously discussed evidence-based practices. This 

involves eliminating sobriety requirements, income 
prerequisites, and other policies that hinder entry, 
retention, or access to opportunities. Beacon offers 
several impactful programs, including Friend’s Place, 
an emergency shelter (ES); Rapid Re-Housing (RRH), 
facilitating rapid transitions to stable housing; and 
Crawford Homes, providing permanent supportive 
housing (PSH). Friend’s Place stands out as the only 
year-round, non-religious emergency shelter for adults 
in the Bloomington area, providing 40 safe and sober 
beds. Rapid Re-Housing offers short-term financial 
assistance for security deposits, rent, utilities, moving 
expenses, application fees, etc., as well as providing 
supportive case management. Crawford Homes 
offers housing and supportive services for individuals 
experiencing long-term homelessness due to a disability, 
providing 110 PSH homes. These programs are 

 Moreover, Bloomington’s 
housing crisis is compounded 

by an anti-homelessness culture at the 
state and city levels, reflected in various  

anti-homelessness and municipal laws.

This collaborative effort is 
crucial, as the trust established 

between service workers and those in 
crisis through routine interactions is in-

strumental in encouraging homeless individ-
uals to participate in the count. This trust fos-
ters an environment conducive to collecting 
accurate and insightful data.



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critical components of the multifaceted response to 
homelessness in Bloomington. 
 
americorps involvement:
During the summer of 2023, I had the privilege to serve 
at Beacon’s day shelter, known as the Shalom Center, 
as part of an AmeriCorps program in partnership with 
the Indiana University School of Medicine (IUSM), 
called the Hoosier Public Health Corps (HPHC). This 
experience provided me with a unique opportunity to 
witness firsthand the challenges faced by individuals 
experiencing homelessness in Bloomington. It also 
served as the catalyst for conducting a community-
engaged research project to investigate homelessness in 
Bloomington, with a specific focus on the responses to 
the city’s housing crisis within the context of Beacon’s 
three homelessness assistance programs. 
 
research methodology and 
objectives:
This study embraces a Community-Engaged Research 
(CER) approach, in which research is a “true 
collaborative enterprise between researchers and 
communities” (Wong-Parodi, 2022). Practically, this 
approach involves “clarifying research and engagement 
goals, learning about community context, building trust 
and relationships, being flexible, and demonstrating 
long-term commitment” (Wong-Parodi, 2022). This 
study’s foundational framework is based on critical 
community-based epistemologies. Using this framework 
yields a methodology that incorporates key principles 
of reciprocity, relationality, a focus on action, the use 
of conversational storytelling, and reflective practices 
(Shah, 2020).

Community-Engaged Research, as implemented in 
collaboration with Beacon, places Beacon staff in a 
central role guiding the project’s direction. The primary 
objectives of the study, as established by Beacon 
staff, involve gaining a profound understanding of 
homelessness in Bloomington, evaluating the impact 
of Beacon’s programs, identifying challenges faced 
by individuals experiencing homelessness, exploring 
effective strategies, and contributing to ongoing efforts 

to enhance the well-being of individuals affected by this 
crisis, while working towards lasting solutions for the 
community. 

The methodology utilizes a mixed-methods research 
approach, combining quantitative analysis and 
qualitative interviews. Quantitative data sources include 
the 2022 Point in Time (PIT) count and Housing 
Inventory Count (HIC), in addition to de-identified 2022 
program data provided by Beacon, Inc., specifically 
sourced from the Annual Performance Reports of 
Beacon Crawford Homes (Version 1.2), Friend’s Place 
(Version 1.2), and ESG RRH (Version 1.2). Notably, 
the active participation of Beacon staff and volunteers 
in the PIT count data collection further enriches the 
quantitative data. This study also integrates qualitative 
data gathered through interviews with three de-identified 
Beacon staff members. To safeguard participant privacy, 
roles and responsibilities of the staff members remain 
unnamed in this study. This multifaceted research 
approach facilitates a more holistic exploration of 
homelessness in Bloomington, combining quantitative 
rigor with qualitative depth to capture the nuances 
of the challenges faced by individuals experiencing 
homelessness. 
 
results
Analysis of the quantitative data reveals the significant 
impact of Beacon's assistance programs for individuals 
experiencing homelessness in Region 10. As shown in 
Table 1, Beacon alone sheltered or housed 88.75 percent 
of the population experiencing homelessness in Region 
10 in 2022. 
Furthermore, the quantitative data highlights the value 
of Beacon offering three distinct assistance programs 
to meet different needs, as seen in the distribution of 
active clients in Beacon's programs in Figure 1.

The Friend’s Place program had a utilization rate of 74 
percent and provided 11,761 bed nights, representing the 
total number of beds filled each night during the year, 
in 2022. The Rapid Re-Housing program had a utiliza-
tion rate of 100 percent, and 52.9 percent of individuals 
assisted through this program successfully moved into 
housing in 2022. The Crawford Homes program had a 



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utilization rate of 93 percent, and 91.2 percent of indi-
viduals served by this program obtained stable housing, 
either within Crawford Apartments or in scattered-site 
apartments throughout the community in 2022. These 
utilization rates underscore the capacity of Beacon’s 
programs to address homelessness and facilitate housing 

stability. Despite the evident benefits of these programs, 
the data reveals a high prevalence of individuals who are 
experiencing chronic homelessness. For this study, indi-
viduals experiencing chronic homelessness are defined 
as those with a disabling condition who have either been 
continuously homeless for at least one year or homeless 

Table 1. 
Number of people sheltered (*or moved into housing) by Beacon's three programs in 2022 compared to the PIT's 
estimated number of unsheltered individuals in Region 10 of Indiana in 2022.

Figure 1. 
The number and percentage of active clients in each of the three Beacon programs in 2022.



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at least four times in the past three years (HUD, 2022). 
In 2022, 27.0 percent of Friend's Place clients and 75.9 
percent of Crawford Homes clients met this definition. 
This identified struggle of long-term and recurring 
homelessness is informed by the qualitative data found 
in this study. Interviews with Beacon staff members 
reveal specific barriers in Bloomington that impede 
unsheltered individuals from attaining stable housing, 
as outlined in Figure 2. The high rent and overall cost 
of living in Bloomington pose considerable challenges 
for individuals striving to maintain housing stability. A 
staff member emphasized that “college towns see this a 

lot, the cost of living is higher here” and noted that “rent 
in town keeps going up.” These elevated rent costs are, 
in part, attributed to the presence of Indiana University, 
which must accommodate a large and growing num-
ber of students. Additionally, challenges in working 
with inflexible local landlords hinder Beacon staff’s 
efforts to help clients secure housing; one staff mem-
ber explained, “some landlords have refused to work 
with us.” The prevalence of high eviction rates further 
contributes to and perpetuates homelessness, as individ-
uals must restart the difficult process of finding a home. 
Furthermore, homelessness itself is criminalized, and 
any involvement with the criminal justice system poses 
another barrier to achieving stable and secure housing. 
A staff member pointed out that “rapid re-housing is 
only short term [assistance]” and thus any disruptions to 
one’s housing can be exceptionally difficult for individ-
uals to recover from. These factors may, in part, account 
for the 11.25 percent of individuals in Region 10 who 
are unsheltered and the elevated prevalence of individu-
als experiencing chronic homelessness in this area.

discussion
The quantitative and qualitative findings from Beacon 
highlight the complexity of homelessness and the need 
for diverse approaches. The significant impact of each of 
the three Beacon programs supports the implementation 
of multiple forms of low-barrier assistance within 
a single community. As discussed earlier, Beacon’s 
programs have successfully sheltered or housed a 
significant percentage of the people experiencing 
homelessness in Region 10.

The utilization rates reveal a substantial demand for 
all three of Beacon’s programs, underscoring the 
evident need for these services in the community. The 
100 percent utilization rate for Rapid Re-Housing 
is particularly noteworthy, as it demonstrates the 
program’s capacity to address immediate housing needs 
effectively. Similarly, the 93 percent utilization rate for 
Crawford Homes highlights its role in providing stable 
housing solutions to individuals experiencing long-
term homelessness, a persistent issue in Bloomington. 
These utilization rates align with the broader objectives 
of addressing homelessness in Bloomington, 
including reducing primary reliance on emergency 

The prevalence of high evic-
tion rates further contributes to 

and perpetuates homelessness, as indi-
viduals must restart the difficult process of 

finding a home.

Figure 2. 
Barriers to permanent, stable housing in Bloomington, 
as identified by Beacon staff members. 



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shelters like Friend’s Place and breaking the cycle of 
homelessness. Beacon’s programs actively contribute 
to the overarching goal of offering individuals stable 
and supportive living environments, thereby working 
towards a lasting reduction in homelessness in the 
community. 

Additionally, it’s crucial to acknowledge the 
effectiveness of the Housing First model, a cornerstone 
of Beacon’s approach. The Housing First model 
prioritizes immediate housing, followed by the provision 
of supportive services. These services encompass a 
wide range of support, including case management 
to assist clients in achieving employment, healthcare 
access, stability, self-sufficiency, and personal goals. 
Individuals in need are also connected with various 
community services, such as mental health counseling, 
substance use disorder treatment, medical care, and legal 
assistance.

Research has demonstrated that mental health and 
substance use services, while important, do not affect 
the stability of housing outcomes for individuals 
experiencing homelessness (O’Regan, 2021). Thus, 
immediate and low-barrier housing should be prioritized 
(O’Regan, 2021). In a randomized controlled trial of 
a Housing First intervention for adults with mental 
disorders in Toronto, it was found that the Housing First 
approach was strongly associated with rapid transitions 
to sustained housing: 70.4 percent of Housing First 
participants versus 27.9 percent of treatment-as-usual 
participants (Lachaud, 2021). Homelessness can be both 
a cause and consequence of poor mental healthcare, 
and by overturning conventional prerequisites such 
as medication adherence, abstinence, and proof of 
“housing worthiness,” Housing First has proven to 
be effective in assisting individuals experiencing 
homelessness (Padgett, 2020). The growing evidence 
demonstrating the effectiveness of the Housing First 
approach reinforces the importance of ensuring that 
individuals have rapid access to housing regardless of 
their sobriety or mental health status and then offering 
support services on a voluntary basis (Padgett, 2020). 
This approach contributes to Beacon’s effectiveness 
in addressing homelessness in Bloomington and 

maintaining the humanity of the city’s homeless 
individuals.

While the literature suggests that completing a rapid re-
housing program is a significant predictor of remaining 
in permanent housing (Brown, 2018), this project has 
unveiled a range of external factors that contribute to 
recurrent and chronic homelessness in Bloomington. 
These persistent barriers align with findings in the 
existing literature. For example, research indicates that 
the absence of income growth during participation in a 
rapid re-housing program increases the risk of returning 
to homeless services (Brown, 2017). Additionally, a 
study of individuals experiencing homelessness who 
participated in transitional programming revealed 
that a lack of social support from friends and family 
was significantly associated with a repeated episode 
of homelessness within a year of program departure 
and with a faster time to return to the homeless 
shelter (Duchesne, 2015). Despite the utilization of 
transitional programs like Rapid Re-Housing, multiple 
barriers continue to prevent individuals from attaining 
permanent housing. While these programs play a vital 
role in responding to homelessness, there is an identified 

need for larger upstream changes in Bloomington to 
achieve a lasting reduction in homelessness.

Addressing the multifaceted challenges contributing 
to chronic homelessness in Bloomington demands a 
strategic and comprehensive approach. One evidence-
based strategy involves the expansion of long-term 

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These services encompass 
a wide range of support, includ-

ing case management to assist clients 
in achieving employment, healthcare ac-

cess, stability, self-sufficiency, and personal 
goals. Individuals in need are also connected 

with various community services, such as men-
tal health counseling, substance use disorder 
treatment, medical care, and legal assistance.



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federal government housing subsidies, such as Section 
8 Housing Choice Vouchers, aimed at assisting low-
income renters (Fischer et al., 2019; Garboden et al., 
2018). These subsidies have notably demonstrated their 
effectiveness in Beacon’s work, playing a crucial role 
in providing affordable and stable housing options for 
individuals and families at risk of homelessness. Such 
federal policies are significant factors in shaping the 
availability and accessibility of resources that are vital 
to effectively combating homelessness at the local level 
(Fischer et al., 2019). In the context of Bloomington, 
tackling the complexities of homelessness necessitates 
more than isolated measures; it calls for comprehensive 
systemic changes. This involves not only the expansion 
of federal housing subsidies such as Housing Choice 
Vouchers, but also policy reforms, community-level 
initiatives, and holistic housing strategies (Fischer et al., 
2019; Garboden et al., 2018). Through the collective 
implementation of these measures, we can forge lasting 
solutions and address the root causes of homelessness in 
our community. 

To address these findings and gain a more 
comprehensive understanding of homelessness in 
Bloomington, it is essential to acknowledge this 
study's limitations. A primary constraint is the small 
sample size, consisting of only three interviewees. 
This limited sample size implies that there may be 
factors contributing to Bloomington's housing crisis 
that were not captured in this research. While this study 
involved interviews with Beacon staff and analysis 
of program data, conducting direct interviews with 
individuals currently experiencing homelessness in 
Bloomington presents an opportunity to collect valuable 
narratives and insights not captured in this study’s 
qualitative data. Although interviews with individuals 
experiencing homelessness would require stringent 
ethical considerations due to participants’ vulnerability, 
they could also offer valuable insights into this crisis. 
Future research should aim to delve into the experiences 
and perspectives of those currently facing homelessness 
in Bloomington, thus enriching our understanding of 
homelessness and its complexities in this community. 
Despite these limitations, this study represents a 
valuable starting point for comprehending homelessness 

in Bloomington and identifying potential areas for future 
research and improvements within the community.  
 
conclusions & future 
implications
This study is part of an ongoing effort to better 
understand the challenges that individuals experiencing 
homelessness face in securing and maintaining 
affordable housing in Bloomington, Indiana. It also aims 
to assess local homelessness response programs and 
identify persisting barriers. Evidence-based solutions to 
overcome factors contributing to chronic homelessness 
in Bloomington may include expanding Housing First 
programs, implementing more low-barrier supportive 
housing models, and providing long-term government 
housing subsidies for low-income renters. These 
measures can reduce reliance on emergency shelters 
like Beacon’s Friend’s Place as the primary solution to 
homelessness and work toward breaking the cycle of 
homelessness.

Moreover, this study underscores the value of 
employing a mixed-methods research approach, 
combining quantitative and qualitative data, to gain a 
comprehensive understanding of homelessness within 
specific communities, such as college towns and cities. 
Personal narratives from individuals closely connected 
to homelessness, such as those associated with Beacon, 
offer valuable insights that complement and inform 
quantitative data on homelessness and related assistance 
programs. Future research in this area should delve 
deeper into specific barriers, such as eviction rates, 
parole participation, and legal/criminal cases, to better 
understand their impact on the housing prospects of 
individuals experiencing homelessness in Bloomington 
and other college towns/cities.  
 
acknowledgments
This community-engaged research project was funded 
in part by the AmeriCorps federal agency and Serve 
Indiana. Thank you to the Hoosier Public Health Corps, 
Indiana University School of Medicine, and Beacon, 
Inc. Special thanks to those at Beacon's Shalom Center 
for welcoming me this summer.



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