When a person loses the roof over their head, it’s usually part of a series of unfortunate events. Mason McConnell Curry, director of homelessness services at Lafayette Urban Ministry (LUM), has seen it for the past decade while working with unhoused people. With limited shelter options in Montgomery County, Curry’s organization, among others, ends up serving county residents with no other place to go.
“The majority of people are much closer to homelessness than to being a millionaire,” said Curry. Most people who end up sleeping in their car, in a tent or a shelter are hardworking people who “missed a paycheck, had a health emergency, or lost a family member who kept the roof in place.”
Because Montgomery County lacks emergency shelter for men and families, some of our residents head to one of Tippecanoe County’s sheltering options – Lafayette Transitional Housing Center (LTHC), the Greater Lafayette Family Services or Lafayette Urban Ministry’s services.
These organizations know that our region, designated by Indiana Housing and Community Development Authority, has a growing problem with homelessness. According to the state’s 2025 Point-in-Time count, the number of unhoused people in the 4th region, which includes Tippecanoe and Montgomery counties, has roughly doubled in a year—from about 180 to 260. The good news is that eviction filings in Montgomery County have fallen to fewer than 100, down from nearly 300 before the pandemic. The paradox is that preventing eviction is just one part of ending homelessness.
Curry has spent a decade in homelessness and shelter work, first in St. Louis and, since 2024, in Lafayette. Under their guidance, LUM’s emergency shelter operates year-round with 48 beds for adults—30 for men and 18 for women—alongside a vital winter warming station that adds 50 additional mats on the floor. During the coldest months, Curry follows a simple mission: “The goal is to have nobody outside in colder temperatures.”
Curry explained that while “housing first” approaches and rental assistance programs have helped stabilize many households, the structural drivers of homelessness—low wages, rising utility costs, and inadequate shelter capacity—remain unresolved. Homelessness, they believe, is less a moral failing than a matter of proximity—it could happen to nearly anyone.
“Over half of our guests are working,” Curry said, “but a living wage in Tippecanoe County is nineteen dollars an hour. Almost nowhere pays that.” (LWVMC wrote in the column two weeks ago about the hourly wages needed for 1-4 bedroom homes.) The majority of guests, Curry added, “never thought that they would be homeless.”
LUM’s sheltering services don’t exist in isolation. They partner with agencies and other programs.
“We never want to duplicate work,” Curry said. Where Lafayette Transitional Housing Corporation (LTHC) focuses on permanent housing and rapid rehousing, LUM handles emergency shelter, financial assistance and a food pantry.
“LTHC’s role is housing,” Curry explained. “Our role is shelter and immediate resources.”
Region 4 has more demand than available beds, leading LUM to shift its 5-year strategic plan. The organization intends to expand homeless services, streamlining its programs to focus on the essentials of shelter, food and financial aid. Meanwhile, partner churches are taking over ministries like immigration services.
LUM has a low-barrier approach to shelter. “We don’t screen for mental health or addiction,” Curry said. “It’s always about behavior. If you can come in quietly, get some rest, and not disrupt others, you’re welcome.” That policy, rooted in dignity and harm reduction, contrasts with many “treatment-first” models that exclude those with active substance use or untreated mental illness.
Curry resists what they call “deservingness narratives.” “I believe housing is a human right,” they said. “No one should have to sleep outside if they don’t want to.”
This philosophy isn’t abstract; it’s visible in the stories LUM staff tell. Curry recalled one guest—a man newly released from prison who braved his first night at LUM’s winter warming station in March. Within months, he had found steady work at a local restaurant and began saving through the shelter’s matching program, which encourages guests to deposit small nightly contributions toward housing. For every $300 saved, LUM adds another $300 toward a deposit or first month’s rent. Recently, the man collected his check, picked up apartment keys, and visited LUM’s food pantry the same day.
“Happy tears were shed,” Curry said. “He put in so much time and effort. It was a huge relief when he finally got his home.”
While Curry oversees shelter operations, LUM’s financial assistance team manages the other vital front in the housing crisis: keeping people from becoming homeless in the first place. Requests for rent and utility aid have surged alongside energy costs. This year, Curry noted, “there haven’t been any of the seasonal dips we usually expect.” Normally, assistance demand slows after tax returns or during the summer months, but 2025 has been different: “We’ve had more people needing help than ever.”
This reflects both national and local trends. Even as eviction filings decline, more working adults find themselves precariously housed, often one medical bill or rate hike away from losing stability. “It can be a full-time job just looking for assistance,” Curry said. That’s why LUM maintains close ties with other agencies—so no client is left without a next step.
Curry’s work is about community. They see homelessness not as a standalone issue but as a collective responsibility. In Lafayette, it’s shared across faith groups, social agencies and volunteers. As winter approaches and need rises, LUM is seeking community partners to provide meals, prepare sack lunches (which can be done at home), and serve at the warming station. “We’d love to see more churches involved,” Curry said, including those from neighboring counties.