Fountain Square homeless camp to shut down Monday
INDIANAPOLIS (WISH) — Indianapolis leaders plan to close a populated homeless camp on Monday. Most of the people living there told News 8 they simply plan to move their tent to another part of the city due to not having any place to go.
The closure comes after nearby homeowners in the Fountain Square area said the encampment made them feel unsafe.
“It’s mostly moved but this is my two room tent,” Heather Drummond said.
“Is this your bed?” I-Team 8 asked.
“This is my bed,” Drummond said. “I’ve got pallets under here and a foam pad.”
I-Team 8 spoke to Drummond on Sunday as she was packing up and getting ready to move to her next spot, still on the street.
“I’ve got most of my stuff moved already and I’ve got like one trip left to go,” Drummond said. “I don’t know what everybody else is doing, but I’m out of here tonight, and I’m gonna, it’s gonna be much quieter where I sleep.”
She’s lived at the Fountain Square encampment for a few months, but the city posted a letter a few weeks ago saying the camp was permanently closing on Monday, Aug. 11.
The notice listed resources, like the Homeless Initiative Program, of HIP, meant to help people like Drummond find a home.
“They took our names. They promised 10 of us on the street. None of us have heard anything from from HIP, who told me a short time ago they were temporarily closed,” Drummond said.
With hours left until the deadline, I-Team 8 counted 17 tents still standing near the intersection of Virginia Avenue and Leonard Street.
I-Team 8 spoke to 11 people. Only two of them have found a real roof to go over their head. The other nine are joining Drummond and moving to other spots in the city.
Kenneth Washington just moved his tent closer to Lucas Oil Stadium.
“My plan is… to get all the people on this out of here tonight,” Washington said.
Some who have found housing came back Sunday afternoon to help people pack up their tents. 65-year-old Ricky Loy was able to get an apartment after seven months on the street.
“A lot of these people are handicapped and can’t do it on their own,” Loy said. “I stayed out here with this group. I was up front, though, at the first tent, and I met a lot of friends down through here by being out here. This lady right here got a lot of disabilities, and she can’t do this on her own.”
The homelessness rate in Indianapolis is up 7% from last year, according to the latest numbers from the city’s point-in-time count. In June, city leaders announced a new initiative aimed at ending homelessness in the city by 2028.
People living at the Fountain Square camp doubt it will happen.
“It never happens. Then you stretch it out, stretch it out, and next thing you know, it never happens,” Washington said.
“I just do the best I can out here and I try not to burden anyone,” Drummond said.
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