Attention Community Leaders and Concerned Residents
Your action is needed NOW!

There is currently a bill moving through the Indiana Senate, most likely being fed to the legislature by lobby groups who protect slumlords and scofflaw landlords, to prohibit cities from enforcing nuisance ordinances that are based on police runs to properties.

Below is a message from State Representative Justin Moed:

    The hearing is set for this Monday, April  3rd at 10:30 am in room 156 D of the Indiana State House.  I will be there to speak out about our concerns as will the prosecutor for the City of Indianapolis.  If you are able to attend, your presence would be greatly helpful.  If you are willing to speak at the hearing, please let me know.  We would love to have one or two neighborhood leaders be willing to speak out about the chronic problems with slumlord properties and the need for cities to be able to have any and all tools to hold negligent landlords and tenants accountable.

Whether you can attend the hearing or not, I think it would be very helpful for you to email the Committee Chairman Greg Steuerwald as well as the members of the committee sharing your concerns about the bill as it is currently drafted.  I've included some talking points below to help explain the bill and our concerns.  You can also review the article below in the South Bend Tribune about the concerns in the bill.
http://www.southbendtribune.com/news/local/bill-would-stop-south-bend-from-holding-landlords-liable-for/article_fb568f6b-0454-5db7-84b1-077fdaca6125.html 

Below are the names, email addresses, and office telephone numbers of the committee chairman and members of the committee.  I have spoken with Representatives Bauer and Hatfield and they have indicated they will oppose the bill as currently drafted.

If you are willing to attend this important hearing, please email Representative Moed at  H97@iga.in.gov  and let him know you can attend.

Also, please send personal stories to the committee members. You can find a list of each member here: 

https://iga.in.gov/legislative/2017/committees/judiciary_1200 

Remember, if you write to policy makers, be respectful but direct. They need to know your personal story. 

As community leaders, you know how important holding landlord accountable for the condition of their property AND behavior of their tenants is to all of us. Owners of problem properties, often living outside our city, already have few enough restraints and rarely,if ever, make efforts to screen their tenants. 

  
Rentals that continually have police runs are a liability to our neighborhoods and our city. Owners of these properties should be held accountable for the impact their business ventures have on the quality of life for law abiding residents in our neighborhoods. 

Act now to ensure the heavy handed  State Legislature, clearly lead by special interests, knows how important this issue is to our neighborhoods.