Housing and Neighborhood Health

Housing and Neighborhood Health

The Department's goals of protecting public health and safety as well as reversing neighborhood deterioration are achieved primarily through the housing and sanitation code inspection program.

The Department's Unsafe Building Program performs code enforcement activities through a cooperative agreement with the City of Indianapolis. This program ensures that vacant properties are boarded, repaired, or demolished according to state laws.

Lead poisoning prevention is another important program that, through blood testing, identifies children who may have excessive lead levels. The children who are at risk receive the appropriate treatment. Inspections of the home environment are also conducted to identify and eliminate potential sources of lead contamination.

Accomplishing these objectives requires a large amount of voluntary cooperation by both property owners and tenants. However, when necessary, Marion County's Environmental Court is used to resolve remaining violations. Comprehensive, long-term solutions for residential environmental problems also require a cooperative approach. The department attempts to coordinate and integrate its activities with organizations that pursue related objectives. In addition, efforts are made to include active neighborhood groups in the planning process. All of the citizen's concerns are thoroughly investigated. For example, illegal dumping laws are enforced through an agreement with the City of Indianapolis. The number of tickets and fines issued exceeded those for all prior years. The department also handles other significant public health problems such as alternative housing, hotel/motel and mobile home inspections.

The Housing Department is making a difference in the community. Our staff continues to work hard with block clubs and neighborhood groups to help solve neighborhood problems. The issuance of sanitation orders and occupied and vacant structure orders continues to make a positive impact in the neighborhoods. This year has seen us form even stronger partnerships with many different agencies and organizations, code compliance committees, neighborhood organizations and concerned citizens. We will continue to inspect homes to identify and eliminate potential sources of lead contamination.

Activities and Achievements

Vacant structures continue to be a high priority for neighborhoods. Our department continues to work very hard with other agencies and neighborhood organizations to address these concerns.

Issuing sanitation orders, bringing properties into compliance and getting trash cleaned up continue to be our main activities. Issuing housing orders on substandard houses and bringing them into compliance is also a high priority.

The Lead Program participated in Black Expo, screened a record number of children, and has started screening children in seven shelters. We have also participated in large numbers of health fairs.