The 2024 legislative agenda presented by the Indiana Black Legislative Caucus

Indianapolis, Indiana – The Indiana Black Legislative Caucus, led by Representative Earl Harris Jr. of Indiana’s 2nd District, together with other caucus members, revealed its legislative agenda for 2024 on Wednesday under the heading “Fair Housing, Fair Futures.”

The IBLC news release states that the caucus’ legislative agenda would give special attention to ways that legislators may make housing in Indiana “more accessible, affordable, and equitable.” The main piece of legislation in this package is House Bill 1176, which would create a fund for housing down payments to assist families in affording property.

This follows the release of the respective 2024 legislative agendas by the Indiana House Republicans, Indiana House Democrats, and Governor Eric Holcomb of Indiana upon the start of the 2024 legislative session.

“The ability to have a house to call your own is an integral part of the American Dream,” Harris said in the release. “Homeownership is a stepping stone that allows an individual and their families to plant their roots and build their lives. Owning a home is about far more than having a roof over your head; it’s about giving Hoosiers a sense of security and the ability to save up for upcoming milestones, like sending their kid to college or heading into retirement. This bill will help cut more everyday Hoosiers in on the American Dream and will strengthen the middle class along the way.”

The caucus’ legislative agenda for 2024 included more bills such as:

• House Bill 1128 – would prohibit foreclosure of a family or individual’s home because of a medical debt
• Senate Bill 243 – would enhance tenant protections by requiring landlords to provide notice of intent to sell a property and requires a buyer of a rental property to honor the written lease between the previous owner and their tenants
• House Bill 1112 – would ban biases in home appraisals
• House Bill 1195 – would create the right to counsel eviction task force to help those in an eviction proceeding receive appropriate representation.

“Despite what our current practices convey, housing and tenants’ rights are not complex issues,” Harris said in the release. “As lawmakers, we have an obligation to ensure that our constituents and all Hoosiers have the ability to own a home, and those homes and livelihoods they provide should not be threatened by factors outside of an individual’s control. This year, we in the IBLC are prioritizing fair housing to ensure every Hoosier can work toward a better future for themselves and their families.”