The deadly global pandemic has easily and understandably overshadowed the typical challenges facing Indiana communities.
While so much of the attention of elected officials for more than a year has rightly been on battling COVID-19, a new report makes clear that other problems remain and need to be addressed. The coronavirus shifted the focus of towns, cities and counties, but it left in place – and sometimes made worse – issues such as drug use and housing affordability that have plagued them for years.
A survey released this week from the Indiana University Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations shows 85% of officials are optimistic about the future, but they still have worries. Conducted by the Indiana Public Policy Institute, the survey found drug abuse, affordable housing and internet connectivity topped the list of concerns for officials polled.