Indiana Rent Relief: Where Renters Can Get Help Now That IERA Is Closed

Is Indiana rent relief still open?

No, not in the way many people remember it. Indiana Emergency Rental Assistance was the state’s pandemic program. It used federal Emergency Rental Assistance money from the U.S. Treasury to pay rent and utilities for renters whose income was hurt by the pandemic. Prosperity Indiana’s Housing4Hoosiers site, which tracked the program, says IERA2 stopped accepting and processing applications as of April 15, 2025.

The closure was disputed. A Marion County judge ordered the state to reopen the program in June 2025, but the Indiana Court of Appeals reversed that order in September 2025. Either way, the money is gone now. The Treasury’s Emergency Rental Assistance page states that the ERA2 period of performance ended September 30, 2025, so no new pandemic-style rent payments can be made.

Local versions such as IndyRent in Indianapolis have also closed. That leaves smaller, steadier sources of help. None of them is as large as IERA was, so it often takes more than one to cover a full month of back rent.

Indiana rent relief options at a glance

This table sums up where Indiana renters can look now. Funding at local agencies changes during the year, so call to confirm before you go.

Township trustee emergency assistance

Indiana has a safety net most states do not: every township has an elected trustee whose office runs township assistance. Under Indiana Code Title 12, Article 20, the trustee must investigate a request and, once an emergency is found, provide temporary help for immediate needs. Rent, shelter, and utilities are the kinds of needs it covers. Each township adopts written standards each year that set income limits and how much it will pay, so the rules in one township can differ from the next.

A few practical points:

• Find your township. Your county website or 211 can tell you which township you live in and where the trustee’s office is.
• Go early. Indiana Legal Services notes that help can be harder to get once you are far behind or a case has been filed.
• Expect payment to go to the landlord or utility, not to you.
• Ask for a written decision. If you are turned down, you can ask how to appeal.

Township help is usually one part of the answer. Trustees often expect you to apply for other programs too, and they may ask about income, bills, and what you have already tried. Our guide to Indiana hardship relief covers township assistance, TANF, and SNAP in more detail.

Community action agencies, 211, and charities

With the large program gone, most Indiana rent relief now comes from local agencies that raise or receive smaller grants. These are the main places to call.

Indiana 211

Indiana 211 is a free, confidential line. Dial 211 or search online, and a specialist can point you to programs that have rent money right now, including church funds and city programs that are hard to find on your own. Ask specifically about rent arrears, security deposits, and homelessness prevention.

Community action agencies

Indiana’s community action agencies serve every county. Many run the Energy Assistance Program and, when they have grants, short-term rent or deposit help. Use the Indiana Community Action Association agency finder to locate yours. Funds for rent are not always available, so ask to be told when the next round opens.

Salvation Army and Catholic Charities

Local Salvation Army corps and Catholic Charities offices in Indiana sometimes help with a month of rent or a utility bill. Search the Salvation Army location finder by ZIP code, or use the Catholic Charities USA help finder. See our guides to Salvation Army rental assistance and Catholic Charities rent assistance for what to expect.

Freeing up rent money with energy and tax help

When rent is tight, cutting other bills can close the gap. Two Indiana programs are worth checking.

Energy Assistance Program (EAP). IHCDA runs Indiana’s version of LIHEAP through local service providers, most of them community action agencies. It gives a once-a-year benefit toward heating or electric costs and can help if you have a disconnection notice. Federal rules let states set income limits up to 150% of the poverty guidelines or 60% of state median income. Indiana’s program usually opens in the fall; check the IHCDA energy assistance page or your local provider for this season’s dates and limits. You can also look up your state program on energyhelp.us, and our LIHEAP guide explains how the federal program works.

Indiana renter’s deduction. Indiana lets renters deduct rent paid on their main home from state taxable income. The Indiana Department of Revenue has described the limit as the lesser of rent paid or $3,000 (about $1,500 for a married person filing separately), and the home must be subject to Indiana property tax. It lowers your tax bill rather than paying rent directly. Confirm the current rules in your tax software or with a free VITA tax site.

Indiana eviction notice rules

Knowing the rules can buy you time to get help. Indiana’s landlord-tenant laws are in Indiana Code Title 32.

• Unpaid rent. Under IC 32-31-1-6, when rent is not paid on time, a landlord may end the lease with at least 10 days’ notice, unless the lease says otherwise. If you pay the full rent before the notice runs out, the lease does not end.
• Other reasons. Notice for lease violations, month-to-month tenancies, or the end of a lease follows different rules and depends on your lease. Ask legal aid what applies to you.
• Court is required. The landlord must file an eviction case, and only a judge can order you to leave. Changing the locks, removing your things, or shutting off utilities to force you out is not a lawful eviction.
• Read the notice closely. Write down the date you got it and the date it says you must pay or leave.

Legal aid and the court process

If you get court papers, go to your hearing. Missing it usually means the landlord wins by default. At many Indiana courts, especially in Marion County, tenant advocates or volunteer lawyers are on hand during eviction dockets, and some courts offer mediation that can lead to a payment plan.

Indiana Legal Services is a nonprofit law firm that helps low-income Hoosiers with civil cases, including evictions. You can apply online or by phone at 1-844-243-8570. Applying does not guarantee a lawyer, so apply as soon as you get a notice. Indiana Legal Help has free forms, guides, and a directory of other legal aid groups.

Indianapolis renters should see our eviction help Indianapolis guide for court-based programs in Marion County.

Sealing an eviction record

An eviction filing can follow you on tenant screening reports even if you won. Indiana changed its sealing law, IC 32-31-11, effective July 1, 2025. Based on the statute and Indiana Legal Services’ summary:

• Courts must seal an eviction record on their own when the case was dismissed, the tenant won, or a judgment against the tenant was overturned on appeal.
• A tenant who has paid off a money judgment can ask the court to seal the record.
• Some older cases may still need a request from the tenant. Sources differ on how the automatic rule applies to cases from before July 2025.

Ask the court clerk or Indiana Legal Services whether your case can be sealed and which form to use.

Avoiding rent relief scams

Old IERA pages still turn up in searches, and some sites use them to collect fees or personal details. Keep these points in mind:

• IHCDA, township trustees, 211, community action agencies, and legal aid never charge a fee to apply.
• Do not pay anyone who promises to “reopen” an IERA application or guarantees approval.
• Give your Social Security number only to an agency you contacted yourself, using a phone number or website you looked up.
• No new federal stimulus checks are scheduled, so messages offering a rent stimulus are not real.

What documents do I need to apply?

Expect to show photo ID, Social Security numbers for the people applying, proof of income for the last 30 days, and proof of where you live, plus any paper that shows the emergency itself. Our document checklist explains what counts for each item and what to do if something is missing. If you don't have everything yet, apply anyway and ask the office how long you have to bring the rest.

Getting rent help, step by step

1. Read any notice and note the deadline. For unpaid rent, it is usually at least 10 days.
2. Talk to your landlord in writing. Offer a realistic payment plan and keep a copy.
3. Call your township trustee and ask for emergency township assistance.
4. Dial 211 and ask about rent, deposit, and utility funds open now.
5. Contact your community action agency, the Salvation Army, and Catholic Charities.
6. Apply for energy assistance when it opens to free up money for rent.
7. Apply to Indiana Legal Services right away if you have a notice or court papers, and go to every hearing.

Related guides

• Eviction help Indianapolis
• Indiana hardship relief
• Hotel vouchers for homeless Indiana
• Churches that help with rent

Frequently asked questions

This guide is general information, not legal advice. Program funding and rules change, so confirm details with the agency before you apply. National Relief Program is an independent website and is not affiliated with IHCDA, any township, or any government agency.