Trump administration cuts grant for Indiana housing group

By TIM SPEARS
WISH-TV | wishtv.com

Cost-cutting efforts by the Trump administration’s newly-formed Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) will cost an Indiana housing advocacy group significant funding.

The Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana (FHCCI) offers counseling services to connect people with resources and housing options, advocates for housing access, and publishes reports on housing issues in Indiana. The nonprofit also leads legal efforts to challenge what it sees as discriminatory housing practices.

FHCCI provided News 8 with a letter from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), stating at the direction of DOGE, effective Feb. 27, the remainder of a $138,889 grant expected to last through June 30, 2025, is now terminated.

FHCCI Executive Director Amy Nelson expects the decision to cost the organization about $50,000.

The looming fear for Nelson and other housing advocates is the potential for additional federal funding cuts.

Nelson told News 8 about 85 percent of the Fair Housing Center’s funding is secured through HUD’s Fair Housing Initiatives Program (FHIP) grants. Nelson said FHCCI applied for $840,000 worth of 2025-2026 FHIP grants, already appropriated by Congress, but HUD has yet to announce awards.

“Typically, these grants would have been announced by now,” Nelson said in an email. “It is our understanding, that despite the Congressional appropriation, these grants are part of the funding freeze.”

“Loss of these funds would be devastating to our organization.”

This comes as HUD cuts staff and has frozen at least $60 million in Section 4 grant funding, predominantly intended for affordable housing, according to the Associated Press.

This story was originally published by WISH-TV at wishtv.com/news/politics/trump-administration-cuts-grant-for-indiana-housing-group.