Indy Homeless Camp Still Standing After City Deadline
INDIANAPOLIS — A homeless camp on Leonard Street near Fountain Square remains in place despite an August 11 deadline set by the city for it to close. Instead of shrinking, the camp has grown, with more tents now visible.
Local real estate agent Sara Thacker of EXP Realty said the encampment makes it difficult to sell homes nearby.
“It’s tricky,” Thacker said. “You have to take into consideration the person who might be buying this home. Are they young, are they single, are they older, is this going to be something that’s dangerous for them? It makes it very hard to find the right buyer for a property when this is what you have next door.”
The city announced plans in late July to close the camp, citing safety and sanitation concerns. Outreach teams were sent in to help residents find housing before the deadline, but the site wasn’t cleared. The Office of Public Health and Safety (OPHS) later said it paused the removal order.
“We are all very confused,” Thacker said. “The people that did leave found placement or left on their own, but the people that refused to leave just stayed, and they’re not being forced to leave.”
OPHS Director Andrew Merkley said the city is prioritizing long-term housing solutions over forced removal. He expects the camp will close within four to six weeks after the original deadline, sometime between mid-September and early October.
“This has always been a younger, hipster area — young professionals, young families — but they don’t want to be around this,” Thacker said.
For now, no new tents are supposed to be set up, but enforcement has been limited.
