The Indianapolis Star reports in this story that the Indianapolis Housing Authority is going after the company that owns Phoenix Apartments. This was the apartment complex where three year old TaJanay Bailey was allegedly beaten to death by her mother, Charity Bailey and her boyfriend, Lawrence Green. Her death followed a return from foster care three weeks earlier and led to the Department of Child Services releasing her records. Those records showed a supervisor minimized concerns, including those about Phoenix, and returned her to her mother.
The housing authority “wants Connecticut-based RCM Phoenix Partners to return more than $300,000 in federal welfare rent payments for failing to evict unruly tenants and disclose business problems in other cities.”
“Phoenix Apartments, the Northeast side complex that includes the residential block with the most violent crime in the city, was being scrutinized by the agency before TaJanay’s death last week.”
But they still allowed people to live there. Nice.
An agency study shows police have received 421 crime reports from residents of the Phoenix Apartments in the past 18 months.
Police say it’s a haven for wanted criminals and stolen cars. Bullets holes have been visible on exterior walls, and residents describe units with mice and cockroaches and frequent plumbing problems.
…
Among the 421 crime reports at the Phoenix compiled by the Housing Agency are 26 assaults, three with a gun, along with 18 burglaries, 10 drug investigations, 26 vandalism reports and 61 warrant arrests.
In recent years, the Housing Agency has taken administrative actions against about 55 landlords, Myers said. Of those, half have returned the federal welfare rent payments, a quarter have been prosecuted for criminal acts and the remainder dropped out as welfare landlords.
There is a great story here with extensive background and photos. The Blogmeister can’t understand how the Housing Authority could allow anyone to live there after seeing these photos.
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I was riveted by Matt Tulley’s articles in August and September. I never knew our ” world class city” would put families in 2 bedrooms with less than 600 square feet of living space ! I thought it was unconscionable that we would willingly pay more than $ 700 a month to the owners for each one of these units. It’s more than one half the fair market value !
I marched right up to the HUD office in the gold building. I spoke to a 25 year employee. He denied the square footage was accurate. I’ll bet it is ! He denied that his agency is paying more than $ 700 a month for each one of these hell holes. I’ll bet we were then; I’ll bet we still are today. He promised to get back with me soon. I haven’t heard a PEEP out of him. As I was leaving, an entire contingency from Indpls. H. A. was on their way in. I thought : ” good. finally something will be done.” NOT.
Nothing has happened. Absolutely nothing at all. How many more children must die ?
People, join me, please, for the children. Help me put the residents in decent, affordable housing. We have the means and the ability to do so. SHAME ON US, if we don’t.
Comment by October Kniess — May 23, 2008 @ 12:52 am |