Hunley Platform Offers Free Pre-K, 30,000 Homes

Indianapolis families would see free pre-K and new housing targets under the proposed plan, though its financing has not been detailed.

Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in Child Care

Hunley Platform Offers Free Pre-K, 30,000 Homes

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Would you support free pre-K funded by new city taxing tools?

Andrea Hunley, a state senator and former Indianapolis Public Schools principal, laid out her Indianapolis mayoral policy proposals on Nov. 5, 2026, at an eastside events center. The platform centers on families, housing, safety and culture, and it is one of several Democratic campaigns in a race that is still developing.

Why it matters

Hunley's platform targets household costs that Indianapolis families feel directly, including housing availability, evictions, neighborhood safety and wages. She framed the plan around the idea that families cannot keep being asked to dig deeper to fund the city's goals, which makes these proposals relevant to anyone weighing child care, rent and everyday budgets in the city.

The proposal includes free pre-K alongside $1 billion for road repairs and a plan to double the arts budget. Targets run to 2032, including 30,000 new homes and a 50% cut in evictions, though these are campaign projections rather than commitments.

The players

Andrea Hunley

A Democratic state senator and former Indianapolis Public Schools principal running for Indianapolis mayor on a platform of families, housing, safety and culture.

Vop Osili

A City-County Councilor who announced his candidacy for Indianapolis mayor in January, one of three Democrats in the race so far.

The details

Hunley presented her proposals at an event that combined a party with breakout sessions organized around four policy pillars: families, housing, safety and culture. She argued the city can make building houses easier and more affordable to lower prices for buyers, and her housing target of 30,000 homes is tied to that approach. The safety target aims to halve homicides and nonfatal shootings by 2031, while the culture pillar would double the arts budget and generate 4,100 new arts-sector jobs by 2032.

Spring 2026: Hunley launched her mayoral campaign.
January 2026: City-County Councilor Vop Osili announced his mayoral candidacy.
Nov. 5, 2026: Hunley laid out her policy proposals at an eastside events center.
2027: The Indy Parks budget is projected at about $54 million.
2031: Target date for halving homicides and nonfatal shootings.

The Home Front

The 30,000-home target and eviction-reduction goal sit against a housing market where construction and affordability are central local concerns in Indianapolis. The proposal's wage target is set against the May 2025 Bureau of Labor Statistics average metro wage of $31.34.

If you rent or are weighing a move, track the candidates' housing and eviction proposals as the race develops, and compare them against your current lease terms. Families planning child care budgets should note that free pre-K is part of the platform, but the funding path has not been specified.

The takeaway

The proposals bundle child-related items such as free pre-K with housing and wage targets, so households should watch how each is funded as the campaign moves forward. Keep a record of the candidates' stated goals so you can compare them against any official plans released later.