INDIANAPOLIS — On Monday, the city of Indianapolis unveiled two new houses on the near west side that were built to provide homeownership opportunities.

Construction started in May and Mary Anderson has watched the two houses go up across the street from hers.

Anderson has lived in the Haughville neighborhood for more than 60 years.

“It’s getting much better, it really is. I know one thing, our taxes are outrageous,” said Anderson.

Home prices are also going up.

“Everybody’s not rich, you know what I’m saying?” said Anderson.

The two new houses are part of the city’s Vacant to Vibrant program. Last year, the city allocated nearly $6 million to turn vacant lots or properties into homeownership opportunities.

WRTV

Advertisement

“I happen to be a resident in this area and have driven by these vacant lots for years and years. It was nothing but accumulating trash and just being a nuisance to the community,” said Beverly Mukes-Gaither, the CEO of the Westside Community Development Corporation.

Mukes-Gaither says not only the west side but other neighborhoods in Indianapolis are struggling to provide affordable housing.

WRTV

“We have basically been victims of equity investors that do not provide quality rental housing and then the overall shortage of quality home ownership,” Mukes-Gaither said.

The Westside CDC is focused on homeownership rates. Mukes-Gaither says for over 10 years, the rate of home ownership has dropped. It’s now below 40% on the west side.

“Any community that is vibrant and thriving needs a high percentage of home ownership,” said Mukes-Gather.

The houses are expected to be done in November and are on the market. Families making less than 80% of the area’s median income qualify.

PREVIOUS | Vacant properties and land being turned into affordable housing

Vacant to Vibrant

Mukes-Gaither says they would also like families to go through a home-buying education or counseling program. Those interested can fill out this form.

WCDC was given $300,000 from the city. They also leveraged funds through the Indianapolis African American Quality of Life Initiative (IAAQLI) and a low-interest line of credit from Citizen’s Energy Group to redevelop the previously city-owned lots into high-quality, affordable homes.

That funding will allow them to build 15 additional houses over the next two years.

WRTV

Advertisement

The Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership (INHP) also provided a small grant in support of the WCDC’s affordable housing program and is working with the WCDC and the listing realtor on referrals of qualified buyers and a potential mortgage lender.

Both homes are included in the upcoming INHP posted tour of available properties for sale to low-and-moderate income buyers.

INDIANAPOLIS — 29th and 30th Streets have served as twin three-lane one-way roads through Indianapolis’ west side for generations. The Department of Public Works is now ready to place these roads on a permanent diet.

DPW will soon convert both streets into two-lane, two-way roads between Meridian Street and the White River. The agency said it will start the transformation after Citizens Gas removes lead pipes beneath the roads later this year.

“It’s important that their neighborhoods feel like neighborhoods and not highways,” said Indianapolis Department of Public Works spokesperson Kyle Bloyd. “Over time, that roadway has become disrespectful to the people who live there. Would you want to walk out of your house and have people doing 60 miles an hour outside of your home?”

The conversion project is estimated to cost $22 million. Its first phase will focus on 29th and 30th Streets between the White River and Interstate 65.

WRTV

Margo Groves lives near the affected area and has to cross 29th Street to go to church every Sunday. She said she’s ready for any change to help slow drivers down.

“The cars, they race up and down the street every day, every night all day long,” Groves said.

The plans for 29th and 30th Street are a small piece of Indianapolis’ strategy to convert one-way roads. The Department of Public Works received a series of federal RAISE grants to eventually convert most of the one-way streets that feed in and out of downtown.

The 29th and 30th Street project is not included in the federal funding.

WRTV

College Avenue between Massachusetts Avenue and Market Street reopened as a two-way road this January and work is underway to convert Michigan and New York Streets through the Near East Side.

“Changing the physical infrastructure, that is one thing DPW can do to help make streets safer for everyone.”

WRTV

Advertisement

One critical piece of 30th Street’s infrastructure is still in progress. The 30th Street Bridge over the White River, which was initially estimated to reopen this season, will not finish reconstruction until at least the end of 2025.

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Citizens Energy Group reminded their customers about several resources available for help with energy bills ahead of this winter.

Applications to the Indiana Energy Assistance Program opened for residents on Oct. 1.

According to the release, the application is a good first step for people to seek assistance this winter. Other programs use the EAP application to determine a person’s eligibility.

This year, the application period closes earlier than previous years. It closes on April 14, 2025.

Citizens recommends a potential applicant have their last three months of income.

Assistance can be applied to utility bills and protection from disconnections for failing to make a payment. Citizens customers who qualify can receive up to a 25% discount on their natural gas bill and a wastewater credit.

Another program the company is encouraging its customers to look into includes the United Way of Central Indiana’s Winter Assistance Fund, or WAF. This program is for Marion County residents who might need help paying bills but can’t qualify for EAP.

The WAF application can be filled out at the United Way website. This application is open from Jan. 1, 2025, to May 30, 2025

Citizens Energy Group has a list of other resources for help with energy bills on its website.