Indy Neighborhood Receives $600K to Rehab Homes

The Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana is using money from a lawsuit settlement to help rehab homes in minority communities.

Earlier this year, the Center and organizations in 45 other communities across the country came to terms on deal with Wells Fargo.

The complaint alleged the bank’s Real Estate Owned properties were better maintained in primarily white neighborhoods compared to African American and Latino ones.

Wells Fargo never acknowledged any wrongdoing.

But, Executive Director of the Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana, Amy Nelson says the area received $1.4-million from the settlement.

"That included us using funds to basically be pass through funds," she said.  "We would provide grants to neighborhood stabilization projects."

The Mapleton Fall Creek Development Corporation is getting $600,000 for new housing construction and rehabbing run down and abandoned homes.

"It will be used to help to further our stabilization efforts," said Mapleton Fall Creek Development Corporation CEO Leigh Riley-Evans.  "There are good resources here. I think we are in a sweet spot in the city in terms of begin able to access culture and civic opportunities."

In 2009, the community received a $3.5-million grant from the Neighborhood Stabilization Program through the city.

"We target the area because it was more than 50-percent vacant.  There were just degrees of blight and removal that aren’t equaled in other neighborhoods," said Riley-Evans.  "We took a very targeted approach and have been rebuilding the community for last couple of years."

The Center will award the rest of the settlement money through grants which non-profits must apply for by October 22.