Mayor’s Leadership Council on Homelessness (MLCH) » Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee

The Mayor’s Leadership Council on Homelessness (MLCH) is an initiative aimed at uniting key leaders across the civic, philanthropic, corporate, and healthcare sectors to strengthen the city’s homeless response system. The council, which held its inaugural meeting on October 1, 2024, will serve as a critical partner in advancing the city’s long-term strategy to combat homelessness, including efforts to address racial disparities among those who are experiencing homelessness.

“The creation of the Mayor’s Leadership Council on Homelessness represents a significant step forward in ensuring that our community has the resources, leadership, and collective will to address homelessness in a comprehensive, equitable, and sustainable way,” said Mayor Hogsett. “We are committed to ending chronic homelessness in Indianapolis, scaling up permanent supportive housing, and tackling the disproportionate impact of homelessness on Black individuals and families.”

The MLCH is being convened by the Greater Indianapolis Progress Committee, a nonprofit, non-partisan organization that has worked closely with the Mayor’s Office in Indianapolis on major community initiatives since 1965. Key objectives of the MLCH include ending chronic homelessness by adhering to Housing First principles and addressing racial inequities that lead to housing insecurity through targeted diversion and rehousing efforts.

The MLCH will work in partnership with the Blueprint Council (BPC) and the Indianapolis Continuum of Care (CoC) to reinforce strategies and align resources toward achieving the established goals. The Council’s responsibilities include activating resources, removing barriers to implementation, and leveraging its members’ spheres of influence to drive progress. Members will also play a key role in amplifying political support, ensuring accountability, and fostering transparency.

The Council will meet at least six times per year, reviewing progress and facilitating strategic discussions with city representatives and CoC leadership to overcome obstacles to implementation. Aryn Schounce, senior policy advisor to Mayor Hogsett, will lead the meetings. Chief strategists for the MLCH are Chelsea Haring-Cozzi, executive director of the Coalition for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention, and Rodney Stockment, policy director for homelessness for the City of Indianapolis.

In addition to members of the civic, philanthropic, corporate, and healthcare sectors, MLCH membership will include representation of lived experience. Plans are also in place to create a separate council in coordination with the Blueprint Council composed solely of residents who have differing experiences with homelessness and housing insecurity.

“We are bringing together diverse voices and perspectives to drive change and ensure that our system responds to the needs of all Indianapolis residents, especially those who have been historically marginalized and who have experienced homelessness chronically,” explained Haring-Cozzi.

Report: 2024 Indianapolis PIT Count

The creation of the MLCH was inspired by housing first initiatives developed throughout the United States. BEYOND THE BRIDGE: A Solution to Homelessness is an ambitious documentary that invites viewers to contemplate how cities can solve homelessness in a comprehensive way. A live viewing of the documentary was hosted in Indianapolis on August 20, 2024.

MLCH is a collaborative effort, thank you to the following stakeholders: