City leader speaks on Fountain Square homeless camp, extended deadline

INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — An Indianapolis leader is answering questions about why a homeless encampment in Fountain Square hasn’t been cleared, nearly two days after the deadline.

The director of the Office of Public Health and Safety, Andrew Merkley, could not answer when the new deadline will be, but said his team is working to get every person into housing. He also said the public safety risk in the area has been mitigated by arresting two people who presented dangerous situations.

“The individuals that were committing crimes are still in custody,” said Merkley. “So, the individual that fired a gun and then the individual who was accused of animal cruelty.”

In late July, the office told people living at the Leonard Street camp that they needed to be out by Monday, Aug. 11. Additionally, they offered some resources to find housing.

Hours before the deadline, I-Team 8 spoke to 11 people living there, and only two had found a place to live.

One of them is Charlie Merrill. He found a place without the help of the city. He gets the keys Thursday.

I-Team 8 caught up with him Wednesday, and asked what he thought of how the city is handling the situation.

“Stand to your word. Be a man of your word. Or a female of your word, if you’re a female,” Merrill said.

I-Team 8 asked Merkley what he has to say to people who feel like Merrill.

“When you look at the amount of funding that we’ve committed or contributed already to solving for homelessness, I think it’s quite clear that the administration is devoted,” Merkley said.

Though Merkley did not give a clear answer on when the deadline is now, he reiterated they needed more time to find help for people, and that no new tents are allowed to go up in the area.

“We cannot move this challenge from one neighborhood to another, or to other parts of the Fountain Square neighborhood,” Merkley said.

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