Two eviction programs are merging in Indianapolis

by Tyler Fenwick

Two free programs that help people facing eviction in Marion County are merging.

The programs — one run by the city of Indianapolis and another run by Lawrence Township — are similar and started within a year of each other during the pandemic.

In the long term, the two sides hope that combining their efforts will help Indianapolis tenants. Landlords here file about 2,000 evictions every month.

As of now, though, there isn’t a full staff in place.

Tenant navigators working for the city’s Tenant Advocacy Project were told in November they would be out of a job at the end of the year. Navigators meet people in court, helping them make sense of the legal process and get connected to free attorneys.

“It was a smack in the face,” one navigator, Camille Kelly, told Mirror Indy on one of her last days working for the program in December.
 

Seven navigators were let go. The city and Lawrence Township are in the process of hiring replacements.

Some former workers told Mirror Indy they were invited to apply for the new positions, but they weren’t guaranteed that prior experience would help them land a job.

Kimberly Bacon, the judge in Lawrence Township’s small claims court, declined an interview request for this article. But Bacon answered questions over email jointly with Andrew Merkley, director of the Office of Public Health and Safety, which operates the city’s eviction prevention program.

“We are hopeful about this opportunity and believe this partnership will provide additional resources to address the growing needs of residents within Marion County,” Bacon said.
 

What eviction court looks like now

As the two eviction programs merge, housing advocates worry there aren’t enough trained navigators in court.

Aside from guiding tenants through what can be an intimidating legal process, navigators often serve as a form of emotional support for people who are about to be forced out of their home.

Bacon said there are still “navigation and legal aid services in courts across Marion County.”

Some courts appear to be staffed like normal. That includes Wayne Township, which routinely has around 100 eviction cases scheduled every week.
 

Lawrence’s eviction program currently has three navigators working at courts. But that isn’t enough to cover all 10 courts that handle eviction cases in Indianapolis.

At some courts, staff from the Office of Public Health and Safety are filling in. That’s the case at Marion Superior Court, where many landlords file eviction cases because of its reputation as a friendlier venue for them.

On days when multiple courts have eviction cases, a fill-in staff member has split time between locations. That can leave a court without a navigator for part of the day.

Community advocate Wildstyle Paschall has visited five courts and said he saw mixed results.

In Pike Township, Paschall said one woman was trying to fill out paperwork and asked an attorney for help. The attorney, evidently representing a landlord, was rude, Paschall said, and told her that he couldn’t do anything.

Paschall said a navigator was at the court, but not where tenants walked in.

“It makes me sad,” he said. “Every delay, every person that's not trained to do this type of work, it’s gonna result in homelessness.”
 

What’s next for eviction help in Indy?

When the two programs are completely merged, some housing advocates hope the result is better for Indianapolis renters.

“It’s stupid that we had two systems,” said Rabbi Aaron Spiegel, executive director of the Greater Indianapolis Multifaith Alliance. The organization has a team of court watchers who observe eviction cases.

Judge Bacon said combining the programs should also simplify the funding.

“Merging these two programs will enhance our ability to secure increased philanthropic support and eliminate the need for funders to choose between programs,” she said in an email.

The Tenant Advocacy Project will get about $1.5 million as part of Mayor Joe Hogsett’s 2026 budget.

Once the combined program is finalized, Bacon said the city will be responsible for funding.

Mirror Indy, a nonprofit newsroom, is funded through grants and donations from individuals, foundations and organizations.

Mirror Indy reporter Tyler Fenwick covers housing and labor. Contact him at 317-766-1406 or tyler.fenwick@mirrorindy.org. Follow him on X @ty_fenwick and Bluesky @tyfenwick.bsky.social.