Statement from Mayor Kerry Thomson Following Housing Progress and Homelessness Strategy News Conference

The City of Bloomington hosted a press conference on Tuesday, July 29, to share critical updates on housing progress, outline the city’s strategic response to homelessness, and reaffirm its commitment to cross-jurisdictional collaboration.

During the event, Mayor Kerry Thomson emphasized that while housing challenges in Bloomington are complex, they are not insurmountable. Since taking office, her administration has navigated inherited Housing and Neighborhood Development (HAND) department crises, closed out multiple federal audits, rebuilt internal systems, launched new tools and leadership to support attainable housing and housing security, and generated an updated Consolidated Plan.

Today, Mayor Thomson released the following statement:

“Housing is fundamental for a strong economy, thriving families, and healthy communities. There are challenges and opportunities ahead of us. My administration will serve to solve those with creativity and respect.

“The urgency is clear. We must create more housing—of more types—for more people. But the conversation doesn’t stop with development. It also means reckoning honestly with the realities of housing insecurity and those experiencing street homelessness.

“We need coordinated solutions that move beyond conversation. We must co-create implementation strategies across jurisdictions. No single city—not even one as compassionate and committed as Bloomington—can bear this work alone.

“The need is great and growing. Our housing support services work hard, but demand continues to outpace capacity. We are actively calling on other communities, service providers, municipalities, jurisdictions, and criminal justice organizations to cease transferring individuals into Bloomington if they are not from here.

“Reunification is about helping people succeed. When someone in crisis arrives in Bloomington—whether dropped off by another municipality or traveling here in search of help—and finds we don’t have the resources to support them, we have a responsibility to connect them with a place that can.

“We rely on nonprofit infrastructure and expertise. We rely on service providers. And we rely on other jurisdictions to help carry the weight. Partnership is crucial to getting this right.

“The City of Bloomington has taken action: renewing enforcement of Title 16 to protect tenants, hiring the City’s first Homelessness Response Coordinator, partnering with the Community Foundation to bring in 10 new case managers through Lilly Endowment support, and working closely with nonprofits to shape and implement the Housing Action Plan.

“I remain committed to partnering with leaders across the region. We need real conversations, courageous choices, and shared responsibility. If every community contributes, we will build a system that works.

“Because if any city can innovate our way toward a better future—for everyone—it’s Bloomington.”

In addition to addressing homelessness and housing insecurity, the City of Bloomington continues to advance a range of initiatives aimed at increasing housing availability and improving internal processes related to development. These efforts reflect a comprehensive strategy to support attainable housing across the community:

• City departments are working to streamline communication with housing partners, revise outdated permitting policies, and build a more solution-oriented approach to development. The goal is to remove administrative barriers while maintaining community standards.
• The Hopewell neighborhood, located on the former site of IU Health Bloomington Hospital, is a City-led redevelopment effort focused on creating a mix of housing types. The City is reviewing internal requirements, establishing a design portfolio to guide future phases, and inviting local builders to participate in a model that demonstrates how attainable housing can be developed and maintained with long-term affordability in mind.
• The City is identifying strategies to return underutilized housing stock to the market and exploring incentive programs to support the rehabilitation of existing units.
• Plans are underway to strengthen neighborhood identity and expand housing opportunities near key commercial nodes, allowing for greater integration of residential and mixed-use development in areas with existing infrastructure and access to services.
• The City’s housing strategy is coordinated with its economic development goals. Efforts to increase housing access are intended to support workforce growth, improve affordability for residents, and reinforce the stability of Bloomington’s local economy.

To view the entire press conference, visit catstv.net.

For more information, please contact the Office of the Mayor at 812-349-3406 or mayor@bloomington.in.gov