The 30-bed, 24-hour facility is owned and operated by the city, and offers anyone experiencing both homelessness and drug or alcohol problems a place to get help.

The money comes from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Most will go toward housing efforts

More than 550 homeless people have died in Marion County since 1996 - when the annual memorial services began.

The newly announced $18 million for over 100 Indiana programs is $2 million more than the state received last year, and a small part of the almost $2 billion sent out nationwide.

Volunteers counted 5,798 homeless people during a single night in January. The agency says that's a 10 percent drop from 2010.

Officials want to allow transitional homeless individuals to live in the 12-unit complex while they move through treatment programs to make themselves more self-sufficient.

The six Amish-built homes with 96-square-feet each of living space each were trucked to Muncie after the nonprofit Bridges Community Services bought them for about $2,600 each.

The Reuben Engagement Center is designed to have 20 beds come from the homeless population and 10 beds come from IMPD, says Alan Witchey, executive director of the Coaltion for Homelessness Intervention and Prevention.

The City-County Council passed the ordinance 23-2 Monday that would require the city offer help to homeless people it displaces from camps.

Data show that Indiana saw an 81 percent increase in the number of homeless students from 2008 to 2013.