INDIANAPOLIS (June 8, 2026) — The Polis Center at Indiana University Indianapolis has been selected as a state-level partner in New America’s Eviction Data Response Network (EDRN), a national initiative focused on improving eviction data and advancing data-driven approaches to housing instability.
New America, a nonpartisan think tank, recently announced a major expansion of EDRN. Led by its Future of Land and Housing (FLH) program, the network advances data-informed approaches to addressing the eviction crisis in the United States, where more than 10 million Americans face eviction each year.
Through this selection, Indiana will join a cohort of state teams working from 2026 to 2028 to build more reliable, comprehensive eviction data systems and strengthen collaboration across government, nonprofit, and community partners. Indiana joins 10 other states across the country in a cohort representing more than 26 million renters, reflecting a growing national consensus that strong data is essential to advancing housing stability.
“Being selected for the Eviction Data Response Network allows Indiana to turn eviction data into a shared tool for action,” said Sharon Kandris, executive director of The Polis Center at IU Indianapolis. “By convening a cross-sector data problem-solving team and improving eviction data quality, accessibility, and use, we can support smarter decisions, more informed policy, and more effective solutions to housing instability statewide.”
This work builds on The Polis Center’s existing collaboration with New America to expand access to housing data in Indiana. In 2023, the organizations partnered to develop a first-of-its-kind statewide evictions and foreclosures dashboard covering all 92 counties. The dashboard combines court records, demographic data, and advanced analytics to better understand housing instability at the local level. The Polis Center led local data integration, community context, and user-focused design, while New America contributed technical tools and national research frameworks.
“New America is excited to work in Indiana alongside our lead partner, The Polis Center, in the 2026–2028 Eviction Data Response Network. Their strategy and vision for reducing evictions stood out from a large applicant pool. We know that building this data infrastructure is critical to supporting data-driven decisions that keep families housed,” said Ian Fletcher, director of the Eviction Data Response Network initiative.
Each year, millions of Americans face eviction, a destabilizing experience linked to homelessness, job loss, adverse mental and physical health outcomes, educational disruption, and downward economic mobility. These impacts disproportionately affect Black and Latino families and households with young children.
Despite these consequences, many state and local leaders lack access to reliable, comprehensive eviction data. Without this information, eviction prevention efforts are often fragmented and under-resourced, creating significant barriers to designing and implementing effective housing stability policies and programs.
New America’s Eviction Data Response Network is designed to address these gaps by combining funding, technical assistance, and peer learning to help states build stronger data infrastructure and translate that data into real-world housing stability solutions. Participating states are supported in:
- Building pipelines for reliable, comprehensive, and centralized eviction data
- Convening cross-sector data problem-solving teams
- Using data to inform policies and programs that reduce evictions and improve housing stability
The Polis Center will help lead Indiana’s participation by applying its expertise in data analysis, community engagement, and place-based research to strengthen eviction data systems and support collaborative, evidence-based solutions. This work will help lay the groundwork for more proactive, targeted eviction prevention efforts statewide.
