Housing

Provides that a court shall stay certain eviction actions for defendants who qualify and have applied for housing assistance from the United States Department of Veterans Affairs or the Indiana department of veterans' affairs.

Requires a landlord to repair or replace an essential item not later than 24 hours after being notified by a tenant that the tenant's rental unit is without certain essential services. Provides that a tenant may request an agency tasked with enforcing unsafe building provisions (enforcement authority) to conduct an inspection and replace or repair an essential item within 24 hours of the inspection. Authorizes the enforcement authority to replace or repair an essential item within 24 hours and to charge the landlord for certain costs and to order a $500 civil penalty to be paid. Requires any civil penalties to be placed in a repair fund to be used for costs incurred by the enforcement authority to replace or repair an essential item. Establishes appeal procedures. Requires a rental agreement entered into after June 30, 2026, to include a provision allowing a tenant to be reimbursed for any deposits paid by the tenant and to terminate the rental agreement if certain repairs are not made within seven days. Allows a court to order that a tenant's regular rental payments are paid into an attorney trust account or to the clerk of the court during the pendency of an enforcement action brought by the tenant.

Amends the definition of "shelter" to include any other form of dwelling accommodation that the township trustee determines is safe, decent, and sanitary.

Provides that a landlord may not sell a residential rental property that is subject to an unexpired written lease unless the landlord gives written notice to the tenant not less than 60 days before the landlord lists the property for sale, unless certain exceptions apply. Requires a buyer of a residential rental property to honor an unexpired written lease between the previous owner and a tenant unless the buyer of the residential rental property: (1) gives to the tenant, not less than 30 days before the lease is terminated, written notice that the buyer intends to terminate the lease; and (2) pays the tenant an amount equal to one monthly rental payment plus the full security deposit. For purposes of a residential rental unit, defines: (1) "essential services" as certain utility services needed for the safe and habitable occupation by a tenant of the tenant's rental unit; and (2) "essential systems" as certain systems used to deliver essential services to a rental unit. Requires a landlord to repair or replace an essential system not later than 48 hours after being notified by a tenant that the tenant's rental unit is without essential services as a result of: (1) a malfunction in the essential system; or (2) the landlord's failure to maintain the system in good and safe working condition. Provides that, during the pendency of a court action brought by a tenant to enforce a statutory obligation of a landlord, the court may order the tenant to make the regular rental payments otherwise due to the landlord under the rental agreement to: (1) the clerk of the court; or (2) an attorney trust account; to be held in trust for disbursal to the prevailing party, as ordered by the court. For purposes of the rights of tenants who are victims of certain crimes, provides that evidence showing a tenant engaged in a protected activity not more than six months before the landlord's alleged retaliatory conduct creates a rebuttable presumption that the purpose of the landlord's conduct was retaliation. Specifies the evidence a landlord may show to rebut the presumption. Requires a landlord to pay all penalties or fines imposed by a political subdivision for violation of the landlord's obligations with regard to a rental premises. Requires a landlord to pay all penalties or fines and make all repairs required by a political subdivision before the landlord may deliver the rental premises to a tenant.

Establishes the housing down payment assistance fund. Establishes a transfer tax equal to 50% of the fair market value of a single family residence for each single family residence acquired by an applicable taxpayer after the applicable date. Establishes a maximum number of single family residences that may be owned by an applicable taxpayer after the applicable date for purposes of calculating an annual excise tax on any excess single family residences.

Establishes the Hoosier homeless veteran initiative for the purpose of providing a means for homeless veterans to have access to temporary shelter during the veteran's rehabilitation. Provides that the initiative shall be coordinated and administered by the Indiana department of veterans' affairs (department) in consultation with the Indiana department of health. Requires each homeless shelter with at least 25 beds to reserve at least one bed out of every 25 beds for a homeless veteran. Provides that a homeless shelter or other entity may apply to the department to become a participating shelter. Provides that a participating shelter shall receive grants from the department. Provides that a participating shelter shall provide food and housing and other services prescribed by the department for a participating veteran for a period consisting of the lesser of: (1) two years; or (2) the period necessary for the veteran to complete the requirements necessary for the participating veteran to receive a housing voucher in accordance with the United States Department of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) HUD-VASH program. Provides that a homeless veteran who is not married may request to become a participating veteran in a manner prescribed by the department. Provides that the homeless veteran shall not be required to test negative on a drug or alcohol test to obtain initial placement in a participating shelter. Requires that a participating veteran receive services and meet certain requirements to remain eligible for placement in a participating facility.

Expands the Indiana fair housing statute to prohibit discrimination on the basis of a person's: (1) source of income; (2) military active duty status; or (3) veteran status. Defines "source of income", "active duty", and "veteran" for purposes of the statute.

Prohibits a landlord from doing the following in connection with an applicant's application for the rental of a rental unit: (1) Making a hard inquiry to a consumer reporting agency or to a specialty consumer reporting agency for an applicant's consumer report or for information in an applicant's consumer report. (2) Obtaining or using a tenant screening report that includes information that is obtained through a hard inquiry to a consumer reporting agency or to a specialty consumer reporting agency for an applicant's consumer report or for information in an applicant's consumer report. Defines "hard inquiry" for purposes of these provisions as an inquiry that: (1) is noted on the consumer report of the applicant for a period of time following the inquiry; and (2) negatively impacts the applicant's credit score. Provides that a landlord that violates the bill's provisions commits a deceptive act that is actionable by an applicant and the attorney general under the Indiana statute concerning deceptive consumer sales.