Crisis at Georgetown: Squatters Overtake Complex
INDIANAPOLIS — In what residents are calling a complete collapse of security and management, the Georgetown Apartments on Bunker Hill Drive have reportedly reached a breaking point. Residents say that the complex has been overtaken by squatters, leaving legal tenants to defend their homes against break-ins, assaults, and illegal “mobile leases.”
The crisis, which residents say has been building for seven months, has transformed the subsidized housing complex into a site of lawlessness. Legal tenants describe a coordinated effort by groups of young men who monitor the property, change locks on vacant units, and even force their way into occupied homes.
A System of “Shadow Leases”
According to one resident, the squatters have established a sophisticated system to bypass legal scrutiny.
“They move people in, change the locks, and give them a lease right off their phone,” the resident reported. “The landlord knows exactly who is doing it, but she has done nothing other than contacting her higher manager.”
The takeover has had devastating consequences for families. In one account, a young mother and her children were laying on their couch when a man tried to kick in her front door. He had reportedly been watching her move in new furniture, mistakenly believing she was moving out and the unit was becoming “available” for squatters.
Landlord and Housing Agency Inaction
The Georgetown property is owned by the Indianapolis Housing Agency (IHA), an organization that has been under federal HUD receivership since April 2024 following years of financial and operational mismanagement. Residents claim that despite a number of police reports and clear camera footage of the crimes, the IHA and on-site management have refused to cooperate with law enforcement.
The IMPD Response: Residents say the officers with the Indianapolis Metropolitan Police Department have reportedly told residents they are ready to clear the units but require a verified list from the landlord of which apartments are supposed to be vacant. Residents says the landlord has refused to provide that list, effectively paralyzing the police.
The crisis comes as Indiana’s newest squatter laws go into effect. On July 1, 2025, a law was enacted to allow property owners to remove squatters within 48 hours via an expedited affidavit process. However, that process relies entirely on the property owner (in this case, IHA) initiating the action. Without the owner’s signature on the necessary affidavits, legal residents remain trapped next door to those who have harassed them and, in some cases, committed acts of domestic violence.
The human cost of this systemic failure is staggering. Residents who travel for work or go out of town frequently return to find squatters living in their beds, rendering them instantly homeless. Perhaps most tragic is the story of a young mother who reportedly lost her children to Child Protective Services (CPS) because she could not provide a safe home. When she attempted to return to her unit as instructed by the state, she found squatters had broken in and taken over, and the landlord offered no alternative housing.
“We go down to IHA and complain to them, and they do nothing,” the resident said. “They just constantly tell us to call the police… but no one is assisting us.”
WIBC reached out to the Indianapolis Housing Agency for comment, but those inquiries have gone unreturned. Meanwhile, IMPD officials stated they are unfamiliar with the specific complex in question, directing data and service requests to the city’s public records portal. While the department maintains it will take enforcement action when necessary, they are urging the public to contact the IHA directly with further concerns.
