Bloomington Woman Displaced Again After Tornado Destroys Her Home

Amanda Prince lost her home in a 2025 tornado and is now struggling to find permanent housing after another twister hit in 2026.

Published on Mar. 2, 2026

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Amanda Prince, a 41-year-old Bloomington resident, was at work at Arby's when a tornado struck her neighborhood on February 19, 2026. This was the second time in less than a year that Prince had her home destroyed by a tornado. After losing her apartment in the May 2025 tornado, Prince and her boyfriend have been living in their van, struggling to find permanent housing. The latest tornado has left them with nowhere safe to park overnight, forcing Prince to reach out to a local nonprofit for emergency hotel stays.

Why it matters

The story highlights the devastating impact of increasingly frequent and severe tornadoes in Indiana, which have left many residents like Prince without stable housing. It also sheds light on the challenges faced by the homeless population in finding safe and affordable places to stay, especially during extreme weather events.

The details

In the February 2026 tornado, Prince's van, which she and her boyfriend had been living in, was no longer safe to park overnight in the usual spot near the Fifth Third Bank. This forced Prince to reach out to Katie Norris, the founder of Hotels for Homeless, who was able to secure emergency hotel stays for Prince through crowdfunded donations. Prince is now working with the nonprofit Heading Home of South Central Indiana to try to find permanent housing, but has faced steep deposit prices and denials.

  • The May 16, 2025 tornado devastated the Economy Inn apartments where Prince lived with her boyfriend and puppy.
  • On February 19, 2026, another EF2 tornado ripped across Bloomington's west side, damaging the Monroe County Humane Association, Fieldstone neighborhood, and Prince's workplace, Arby's.

The players

Amanda Prince

A 41-year-old Bloomington resident who has had her home destroyed by two tornadoes in less than a year, leaving her and her boyfriend living in their van and struggling to find permanent housing.

Katie Norris

The founder and executive director of Hotels for Homeless, a nonprofit that crowdfunds to provide emergency hotel stays for people in need, including Prince after the latest tornado.

Heading Home of South Central Indiana

A nonprofit organization that is working with Prince to help her find permanent housing after she was displaced by the tornadoes.

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What they’re saying

“'Please, God,' she remembers saying. 'Don't let this happen to me again. I don't want to lose the home, only home I have left.'”

— Amanda Prince (idsnews.com)

“'We raised the money right then and there,'”

— Katie Norris, Founder and Executive Director, Hotels for Homeless (idsnews.com)

“'People have no idea what it feels like to be hungry,' Prince said. 'They don't know what it's like. They don't know what they're going through. They just look and they just judge immediately.'”

— Amanda Prince (idsnews.com)

What’s next

Prince is currently staying in a hotel on her own expenses and is working with Heading Home of South Central Indiana to find permanent housing.

The takeaway

This story highlights the devastating impact of increasingly frequent and severe weather events on vulnerable populations, as well as the critical role that community organizations like Hotels for Homeless play in providing emergency assistance and support to those in need of stable housing.