Transitional housing is the step between wherever you are now and wherever you’re going. A shelter bed is temporary. A lease is a twelve-month commitment with a credit check and a deposit most people can’t produce on short notice. Transitional housing sits in the gap — somewhere safe and stable to live while the next thing comes together.
Affordable Living Company provides that step in Hammond, Indiana, serving people across Lake County and the wider Northwest Indiana region.
What makes our transitional housing different
Most transitional housing in Northwest Indiana is run by nonprofits and comes with a program attached — a case plan, a curfew, a time limit, an intake queue. That work matters, and for many people it’s exactly right.
We’re built differently, and it’s worth being clear about how:
- No program requirement. You’re a resident, not a client. There’s no case plan to complete and no meetings to attend.
- No time limit. Nobody will tell you your ninety days are up. Stay as long as you need to.
- No long-term lease. You’re not signing away a year to get a bed tonight.
- An on-site manager. Not an absentee landlord and not a caseworker — someone in the house who keeps it running and keeps it safe.
- Move-in measured in days. The rooms are already furnished. There is no waiting list.
The trade-off is honest: we are not a subsidised program, so there’s no voucher and no income-based rent. You pay a flat monthly rate and everything is included.
What it costs
- $750 per month for a private room
- $200 one-time move-in fee
Rent includes all utilities, free Wi-Fi, on-site laundry, a fully equipped shared kitchen, full bathrooms, comfortable common areas and household essentials. There are no separate utility bills, no internet account to set up and no furniture to buy.
For comparison, a one-bedroom apartment in Lake County generally means first month, last month, a security deposit, utility connection fees and an empty room to furnish before you can sleep in it. That’s the barrier transitional housing exists to remove.
Who we house
We house adults from a range of situations, in the same homes, without separating people by their circumstances:
- Veterans waiting on VA benefits, a housing voucher or a permanent placement
- Seniors on a fixed income priced out of market-rate rent
- People re-entering the community after incarceration who need an address to rebuild from
- Survivors of domestic violence who need somewhere safe quickly and without a paper trail of qualification hurdles
- Working adults between housing situations — after a job relocation, a separation, or a rent increase that made an apartment impossible
Where we are, and what’s nearby
Our homes are in Hammond, at the north-west corner of Indiana, directly on the Illinois state line. That location matters more than it sounds:
- Minutes from Chicago. The South Shore Line and regional bus routes put downtown Chicago within reach without owning a car — which keeps job options open across two states.
- Central to Lake County. East Chicago, Whiting, Munster, Highland, Griffith and Gary are all a short drive away, so you can keep an existing job, treatment programme or family connection while you live here.
- Close to services. Hammond has the county’s main concentration of veteran services, health clinics and social service offices.
We take referrals from and work directly with caseworkers, veteran service officers, re-entry coordinators, discharge planners and shelter staff across Northwest Indiana. If you’re placing someone, call us and we’ll tell you straight away what’s open.
How to get a room
- Call or text 219-200-0497. Tell us roughly when you need to move.
- We tell you what’s available — usually on that first call, not after a review period.
- Come and see it. You should look at a room before you commit to living in it.
- Move in. The room is furnished, so you bring your things and nothing else.
Transitional Housing in Northwest Indiana: FAQs
Where is your transitional housing in Northwest Indiana located?
Our transitional housing in Northwest Indiana is in Hammond, close to East Chicago, Whiting, Munster and Gary, with train access to Chicago.
How long can I stay in transitional housing in Northwest Indiana?
Our transitional housing in Northwest Indiana is month to month, so you can stay as long as you need while you rebuild — there is no fixed program end date.
Do I need a referral for transitional housing in Northwest Indiana?
No referral is required for our transitional housing in Northwest Indiana. You can contact us directly, although caseworkers are welcome to refer people too.
How much does transitional housing in Northwest Indiana cost?
Our transitional housing in Northwest Indiana costs $750 a month for a private room, with utilities, Wi-Fi and laundry included.
Is transitional housing in Northwest Indiana furnished?
Yes. Every room in our transitional housing in Northwest Indiana is furnished, so you can move in with just your personal belongings.
Who uses transitional housing in Northwest Indiana?
People use transitional housing in Northwest Indiana after a job loss, eviction, incarceration, military service or a difficult living situation — anyone who needs stable ground for a while.
What is transitional housing?
Transitional housing is short-to-medium-term accommodation for people between a crisis or unstable situation and permanent housing. It’s more stable than a shelter and more accessible than a standard lease. Some transitional housing is run as a nonprofit programme with support services attached; some, like ours, is simply flexible private housing without a programme.
How long can I stay in transitional housing in Northwest Indiana?
Nonprofit programmes typically cap stays between 90 days and 24 months. We don’t set a limit — residents stay as long as the arrangement works for them, and some have stayed well over a year.
Do I need a referral from an agency?
No. You can call us directly. We also accept referrals from caseworkers, veteran service officers, shelters and re-entry programmes, but a referral is not required.
Is transitional housing the same as a halfway house?
No. A halfway house is usually court-mandated or program-mandated with supervision and reporting requirements. Our homes are private rental housing — you’re a resident, not under supervision.
Do you take Section 8 or housing vouchers?
We are not a subsidised housing provider, so rent isn’t income-based. Note that Hammond’s public housing and Section 8 waiting lists are currently closed, which is why many people look at private options. Read more about low-income housing in Hammond.
Do you run background checks?
There’s no complicated qualification process. We do ask about circumstances that affect the safety of everyone in the house, and we’re upfront with you about what that means before you move in. We do not accept registered sex offenders.
What’s included in the rent?
All utilities, free Wi-Fi, on-site laundry, a furnished bedroom, a fully equipped shared kitchen, full bathrooms and shared common areas. There are no separate bills.
How quickly can I move in?
Usually within days. Rooms are already furnished and there is no waiting list — the limiting factor is availability, not paperwork.
Do you house women as well as men?
We operate more than one home, including men’s houses. Call and tell us your situation and we’ll tell you honestly what we have.
What areas of Northwest Indiana do you serve?
Our homes are in Hammond, and we house people from across Lake County — including East Chicago, Whiting, Munster, Highland, Griffith, Hobart and Gary — as well as people relocating from Chicago and the surrounding suburbs.
Talk to a person
If you’d rather speak to someone than fill in a form, call or text 219-200-0497. Tell us when you need to move and we’ll tell you what’s open.
You can also email affordablelivingcompany@gmail.com, see our full housing services, read about shared housing for veterans, or see where we show up in the community on our outreach page. Transitional housing in Northwest Indiana works best when you can move quickly. For general renter guidance, see HUD’s renter resources.
Check what is available
The fastest way to find out if we have a room is to ask. Check availability — five quick questions, no application and no documents. Or call or text 219-200-0497.
Inside the house
Alcohol-free, drug-free homes
Every Affordable Living Company home is alcohol-free and drug-free, and every resident agrees to the same short set of house rules before moving in: no alcohol, drugs or smoking on the premises, assigned chores, visitors by prior approval, and lights out in shared areas by 10:00 PM. There is a prequalification interview and a short orientation before move-in.
We are not a treatment program, a licensed facility or a certified recovery residence, and no clinical or medical services are provided on site. Read the full house rules and what to expect.
Equal Housing Opportunity. Affordable Living Company does not discriminate on the basis of race, colour, religion, sex, national origin, familial status, disability, or any other characteristic protected by federal, state or local fair housing law. Rooms are available to any applicant who meets our published house rules and screening requirements. Where we describe the situations of people we have housed, we are describing who has come to us, not stating a preference or limitation.
