Nigerian-born researcher proposes model to tackle housing crisis in Indianapolis

A Ball State University researcher, Olumide Oguntolu, has unveiled new findings that he says could reshape how Indianapolis understands and responds to the escalating housing insecurity crisis.

Assessing Oguntolu’s thesis, it stressed that policymakers “must stop lumping the ‘unhoused’ and the ‘homeless’ together,” arguing that the habit leads to what he described as “misguided, misaligned, and ultimately ineffective interventions.”

His thesis, completed in the Department of Architecture at Ball State University, tackles long-standing confusion in policy circles by drawing a sharp distinction between people who are unhoused and those who are homeless.

“Unhoused individuals may be sleeping in cars or rotating through friends’ couches,” he explained. “Homeless individuals are more likely to be fully unsheltered, exposed to the elements. The challenges are not identical, so our solutions cannot be identical.”

Through a multi-stage research design that included interviews with service providers, policymakers, and people with lived experience, Oguntolu found that the language used to categorize housing-insecure residents affects not only stigma but also the distribution of resources.

“If we can’t define people correctly, we can’t support them correctly,” he said, insisting that Indianapolis needs a more precise classification system to ensure equitable access to resources.

His research also highlights structural drivers behind housing insecurity. He pointed to stagnant wages, a shortage of affordable housing, and systemic inequality not personal failure as the primary culprits. “The narrative that people just need to ‘try harder’ is both inaccurate and harmful,” he said. “This crisis is structural, and our solutions must be structural too.”

One of the most troubling discoveries, Oguntolu noted, is the distinct set of challenges that the unhoused and the unsheltered homeless face. According to him, unhoused individuals often “fall through the cracks,” while homeless individuals confront severe health risks and deeper social exclusion. He argued that existing support systems are not designed to meet these layered, divergent needs. “Our cities are trying, but the systems are fragmented,” he added.

Turning his findings into action, Oguntolu proposed a sustainable Ecovillage along the White River as a long-term, community-centered alternative to traditional shelters. “This isn’t just another shelter,” he said. “The Ecovillage is a holistic model is dignity-driven, service-integrated, and environmentally responsible.” The design includes modular units, universal accessibility, on-site healthcare, mental health services, and job training programs.

Oguntolu insists the Ecovillage model is about restoring humanity to housing solutions. “People deserve privacy, safety, and the chance to rebuild their lives,” he said. “Architectural design can either strip people of their dignity or reinforce it. We choose the latter.” The proposed community incorporates solar energy, rainwater harvesting, community gardens, and trauma-informed design principles.

Beyond research, Oguntolu’s professional track record bolsters his credibility. An award-winning architectural designer and adjunct professor at Ball State, he contributed to the U.S. Department of Energy Solar Decathlon–winning Alley House project in Indianapolis and volunteers with Habitat for Humanity. “Design must serve the community first,” he said. “My work in Indianapolis consistently brings that philosophy to life.”

His expertise has earned him national and international recognition, including speaking at the Fifteenth International Conference on The Constructed Environment in Berlin. There, he presented findings on the distinctions and challenges within homeless populations research that ultimately shaped the Ecovillage proposal. “We cannot continue treating the symptoms,” he told attendees. “We must design solutions that empower reintegration and long-term stability.”

Currently, Oguntolu is applying his research in real time, collaborating with Harold Baker Architects and Good News Ministries to design a 1,000-bed shelter for men on Indianapolis’s east side. “This is where research meets reality,” he said. “If we get this right, Indianapolis can become a national model for how cities respond to housing insecurity with both compassion and innovation.”