Update January 17, 2025

On October 26, at around 9:30 P.M., a catastrophic fire occurred at HVAF of Indiana’s Manchester Apartments, located at 960 N. Pennsylvania Street in downtown Indianapolis. This facility served as a transitional housing property for 48 homeless veterans. An investigation led by The Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (ATF) and the Indianapolis Fire Department (IFD) determined it was an accidental fire.

Veteran Developments:

*All 48 veterans residing at Manchester Apartments were immediately placed in temporary care in hotel rooms around the city.

*Every veteran displaced by the fire at Manchester Apartments has now been moved out of hotel accommodations and into housing.

*Last week, the remaining 9 veterans in hotels were moved into a property on the Near Westside where HVAF is master leasing 28 one-bedroom apartments.

*Funds from the Fire Assistance Fund are supporting the veterans by replacing food and clothing, as well as providing gift cards to reimburse for other lost personal items. Funds are also being utilized to support veterans moving into permanent housing with application fees, security deposits, rent and utility assistance, as well as other moving expenses.

To hear from two veterans displaced by the fire and currently working toward permanent housing, click the links below!

Navy Veteran Crystal and Marine Veteran Alan

Building Updates:

*Working with our insurance provider and a restoration company, HVAF is mitigating the fire and water damage and beginning to work on reconstruction of the facility.

*The full scope of the damage is still being assessed. The north tower of the building sustained significant water damage and crews have nearly completed removing damaged and contaminated materials.  We have received a preliminary scope of work and are looking forward to beginning reconstruction soon. Completion is still scheduled for summer 2025.

*The south tower, where the worst fire damage was contained, will be a much lengthier rebuilding process. A temporary roof has been added to help winterize the property, and HVAF is working to redesign the space to maximize the number of units available for veterans’ experiencing homelessness. Rebuilding the south tower is projected to take up to 2 years.

*While our insurance company will restore the building to its previous condition, funds from the Fire Assistance Fund will be utilized to address items not covered by insurance, which may include structural and mechanical items that will allow us to update electrical, plumbing and HVAC capabilities, increase the number of units, add pantry space, and ensure that we have a building designed to meet the future needs of veterans.

Business Updates:

*HVAF has leased 28 units on the near-westside to allow new veterans to receive assistance in our transitional housing property. These units will remain leased until the south tower is rebuilt.

Our veterans have shown incredible resilience, and the HVAF team is steadfast in ensuring their well-being during this crisis. Our dedicated staff, alongside a supportive mental health team, offers daily engagement to provide essential care and support. Generous community donations continue to supply the necessary essentials for those in need. To support HVAF during this challenging time, please consider donating here: https://www.hvafofindiana.org/donate-hvaf-fireassistancefund/. Essential items for displaced veterans can be purchased through our Amazon Wish List. For the veterans we serve, the loss from the fire was unimaginable. We deeply appreciate the community’s ongoing support as we work to rebuild and recover over the next two years.

MEDIA CONTACT INFORMATION:
Nolan Anderson
Marketing & Communications Manager
317-835-1445
nanderson@hvaf.org

ABOUT HVAF:
Helping Veterans And Families (HVAF) helps homeless veterans return to self-sufficiency and engages at-risk veterans and their families to prevent them from becoming homeless by providing supportive housing, case management, employment support, therapy, and basic needs including food, hygiene and clothing. In 2023, HVAF served 1,349 veterans and provided over 37,000 life-changing services.

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