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Citizens Energy Group is suing the Indianapolis Housing Agency. The utility company claims IHA has breached their contract by not paying gas, water and sewer utility services at Laurelwood and Rowney Terrace Apartments.
Abriana Herron / WFYICitizens Energy Group is suing the Indianapolis Housing Agency, claiming the agency owes them hundreds of thousands of dollars in utility service payments.
The lawsuit, which names Citizens Energy Group and the City of Indianapolis as the Plaintiff's, accuses IHA of breach of contract.
It claims IHA has not paid gas, water and sewer utility services at Laurelwood and Rowney Terrace Apartments. Some bills date back to 2024 with a total unpaid balance of $208,793.68, according to court documents.
Citizens Energy seeks payment and asks the court to appoint a receiver to take over operations at the properties until the debt is repaid.
“We took this action in lieu of disconnecting IHA’s utility services, which would have directly impacted the residents,” Laura O’Brien, the corporate and public affairs manager with Citizens Energy said in a statement.
IHA has been under federal receivership since 2024 after years of mismanagement.
In May, IHA’s CEO Yvonda Bean said the agency would sell several of its multi-family properties, including Laurelwood and Rowney Apartments.
IHA declined to comment stating it “is not at liberty to comment on open litigation.”
Correction: A previous version of this story stated that the City of Indianapolis filed the suit on behalf of Citizens Energy. It was corrected to state the city is listed as a plantiff.
Contact WFYI Morning Edition newscaster and reporter Abriana Herron at aherron@wfyi.org.
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