The biggest decisions about whether your family can afford to live in your community five years from now are being made at a meeting that you are welcome to attend that allow you to participate in the process. It’s true. Communities in the Indianapolis area and surrounding communities are in desperate need of collaboration right now.  According to the Common Sense Institute’s (CSI) data on affordability, fewer than a third of all households (just 27.7%) can afford the median home in the greater Indianapolis region. The majority of residents understand that there is a significant problem in the housing market, but most don’t know where to begin. Comprehensive Planning is the one process that truly allows citizens to proactively influence the long-term Housing Crisis and grow your community in the years to come.

Comprehensive Planning & Housing Decisions

Comprehensive Planning is the legal blueprint for your community’s zoning code. It sets the rules for Housing Decisions for the next 10 to 20 years. Central Indiana needs those rules to foster supply. According to CSI, The Indianapolis metro area needs between 15,433 to 25,629 permitted units annually by 2028 to meet projected demand. Other growing communities are seeing similar gaps between the current supply and future demand. This overwhelming figure proves the urgency behind current Housing Decisions. This is where zoning reform and thoughtful future planning steps in. Research by the Pew Charitable Trusts and Bipartisan Policy Center shows that changing restrictive rules, such as eliminating mandatory parking requirements or allowing “missing middle” housing  like duplexes and townhomes, can significantly boost supply and stability. Local leaders must use Comprehensive Planning to update their planning maps and eliminate  outdated rules that stifle creativity in housing, which is the only way to tackle the Housing Crisis head-on and make effective Housing Decisions that benefit future generations.

Your Voice: The Power of Community Involvement

Community involvement is not just about caring for your neighbors and your economy, it is a form of self-protection. “Unaffordable housing decreases job retention and lowers productivity. It can force businesses to relocate, taking job opportunities with them. A lack of available housing reduces local tax revenue, reducing local resources for education, public safety, and infrastructure,” states Senate.gov.

Fortunately, the local Comprehensive Planning process is structured for your input. Comprehensive Planning and subsequent Housing Decisions are decided publicly, and you do not need to be an expert to participate.

Here is where your Community Involvement can directly influence future housing supply:

  • Indianapolis (Marion County): Metropolitan Development Commission (MDC) Hearings, held monthly on the third Monday (5:30 PM, City-County Building). These meetings approve major zoning and development projects.
  • Hamilton County: Plan Commission Hearings are generally held monthly.  Find details for the next meeting on at hamiltoncounty.in.gov.
  • Hendricks County: Plan Commission Hearings are generally held monthly, at 6:30 PM, Danville.

To find out how you can participate in the Comprehensive Planning process in your specific town, whether it’s Fishers, Carmel, Plainfield, or a smaller community, the process is simple: search your town’s official website for “Comprehensive Plan” and also look for the “Plan Commission” or “Board of Appeals” board schedule. Every Hoosier can and should participate in this democratic process to shape the future of their community.

Planning is the key to preventing the growth of the Housing Crisis. Make community involvement a priority – get involved with this grassroots process in your town and Join the Coalition. Let’s make housing affordability and accessibility a reality for all Hoosiers!