Indianapolis Housing Authority agrees to address habitability concerns at Lugar Towers

An apartment building that provides low-income housing for seniors has agreed to address a list of problem issues.  Indiana Attorney General Todd Rokita announced a compliance agreement has been reached between his office and the Indianapolis Housing Agency (IHA).

The agreement comes after the office said it investigated at least 40 complaints from residents at Lugar Towers. Residents filed a lawsuit earlier this year.  Problems at the aging downtown building included broken elevators, a lack of hot water and broken security doors, which led to trespassing. Other habitability issues listed include defecation in public areas and pest infestation.

“Subsidized housing does not mean substandard housing. Our office will not hesitate to hold any landlord accountable that seeks to deny tenants equal protection of our laws,” Rokita said in a statement.

Rokita said many of the problems have already been addressed. As part of the Assurance of Voluntary Compliance, IHA will provide security, perform maintenance and comply with housing codes.

Contact WFYI city government and policy reporter Jill Sheridan at jsheridan@wfyi.org. Follow on Twitter: @JillASheridan.