INDIANAPOLIS — The Indianapolis Housing Agency confirmed it is hiring entry-level unskilled and skilled temporary maintenance workers.
IHA Interim Executive Director, Marcia Lewis said the new employees will be part of a training program.
"(They) Will be part of a training program contracted through AC/C Tech Apartment and Residential Maintenance training program, and by the time their term ends will hold certifications in various maintenance specialties," Lewis said. "They will then be permanently employable by the new property management company (Hayes Gibson) that’s taking over between now and September 1 in seven locations.
Lewis says she hopes Hayes Gibson will also take over more IHA properties.
Lewis said the agency is down to four maintenance staff for almost 2000 units total and with the issues with trash, the building conditions, the grounds and exteriors spend a considerable amount of each week handling that before they can even touch or respond to work orders.
"It is my belief that willing minds and hands are needed, useful and impactful and long overdue," Lewis said. "We have also set up an internal supervisory chain-of-command that along with the technical program instructors, will start them with learning groundskeeping and light maintenance and bring them into more skilled levels as they progress. For example, we have a complicated big lightening truck that has controls and only one person on staff can operate it, and he has given his notice. In the new group of temporary maintenance workers that have come on board, two are capable of learning this and are already being trained to replace him."
"We are also entering into a separate contract for trash and dumping services to free up maintenance to do maintenance," Lewis said. "My response to the residents we serve is that we hear you and are working hard given our financial constraints to improve your living conditions through every means available to us."
WRTV's Rachael Wilkerson asked Lewis what the agency would like to say to its residents.
"My response to the residents we serve is that we hear you and are working hard given our financial constraints to improve your living conditions through every means available to us," Lewis siad. "These new workers are being vetted through both the training program and our Human Resource Division. They must pass background checks and complete orientation just like other temporary workers and team members the agency employs. Their salaries and training are being paid for by the City of Indianapolis."
In June, the city approved $250,000 to hire temporary workers for IHA.
This is a developing story that will be updated.
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