INDIANAPOLIS — Indianapolis Housing Agency residents on the south side are questioning what the agency is doing to improve their living conditions four months after it released a 12-month improvement plan.
The plan, called "A New Day, Better IHA," was released in May. The agency said the biggest impact so far has been upgrading its phone system and outdated software.
Anthony, who lives at Laurelwood apartments, said the property is poorly maintained.
"The way that it is treated is just so poor. A few houses that people do live in don't even have screen doors. There's so many abandoned apartments out here that have just been abandoned for well over a few years, and it's just sad to see," Anthony said.
He pointed to a missing basketball goal, an unused playground, and a lack of community activities as problems.
"With recent murders, nobody really wants to risk being out late, getting confused for anybody else, and anything of that sort," he said.
Anthony said that despite new leadership at the Indianapolis Housing Agency, more needs to be done.
"It just gets overall annoying having a complaint, but having nobody to say it to," he said.
IHA's 12-month plan focuses on operations, finance, people, properties, safety and security.
CEO Yvonda Bean said the agency is making progress in repairing broken systems.
"We still have a heavy lift but we are making progress moving in the right direction. We have converted our software system. A typical conversion takes months at a time and we were able to do it in four months," Bean said.
Bean said monthly newsletters and a new website have improved transparency.
The agency's new housing management software, Yardi, is now operating. The upgrade allows faster access to information reported by residents.
Some residents at Laurelwood told WRTV they have seen improvements.
However, at Red Maple Grove, Peter Lee feels property values are declining.
"You guys are supposed to improve the lives of people. You work with INHP, you say when people come in you're going to give them great buildings and homes and allow people who move in to be good citizens. Well, you haven't lived up to that," said Peter Lee, president of the Red Maple Grove Homeowners Association.
Bean said several parties have expressed interest in the seven IHA properties that were put up for sale.
"We are in the process of presenting those responses to the board and talking about what the next steps will look like," she said.
Bean said the agency didn't get into this condition overnight and appreciates residents' patience.
