Latest News

LISC, State Farm Build on 16-Year Partnership to Expand Economic Opportunity

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State Farm and the Local Initiatives Support Corporation (LISC) have announced an expanded effort to build economic opportunity in struggling communities through programs that encourage business development among entrepreneurs and skills development among low-income workers. A new, two-year $4 million State Farm grant will expand LISC Financial Opportunity Centers (FOCs) in under-resourced neighborhoods—helping people improve their incomes, credit scores and savings through education and long-term financial coaching. At the same time, these efforts will help lift up commercial areas and provide safer and more vibrant places for business owners to set up shop, create jobs and grow local incomes. Click … Continued

Oxford Place Senior Apartments, Oxford Flats Will Provide Additional Housing Options

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The first phase of the Oxford Place development is Oxford Place Senior Apartments, a 32-unit building on the former Crown Laundry site. An aggregate pier foundation was installed in late November, and concrete footers are currently being poured, so the footprint of the entire building is now visible on the site. Construction will continue through the winter, and anticipated to be complete by fall 2016. This projected is being developed by Englewood Community Development Corporation and The Whitsett Group. Oxford Flats, a 15-unit building on the first block of N. Oxford, is still with the architects for finalized construction drawings, … Continued

City Celebrates Dedication of Central State Greens NFL Field

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Central State Greens, a redevelopment project encompassing over 9 acres at the heart of the former Central State Hospital site, is made possible by a unique partnership between LISC Indianapolis, the City of Indianapolis, and Reverie Estates. Central State Hospital, created in 1827, once cared for nearly 3,000 patients on its 140 acre grounds. Funding cuts led to the hospital’s closure in 1994 and the site has been vacant and in deteriorating condition ever since. Its revitalization has been a centerpiece of the Near West neighborhood Quality of Life plan.   The development connects the Near West neighborhood and residents with students at IUPUI, an … Continued

Rental Development in Our Urban Core

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LISC convened a roundtable of developers and lenders last October to engage local real estate experts and the City of Indianapolis in a discussion about how rental housing development could be improved and encouraged in core neighborhoods. A summary of this discussion can be found here. These discussions identified specific challenges and opportunities in accessing project financing and public subsidy, as well as improved collaboration around a range of issues including securing commercial tenants, acceptance of density, transit investment, environmental remediation, and land assembly. The meeting was facilitated by the Indiana Association of Community Economic Development and sponsored by Huntington … Continued

Renew Indianapolis Land Bank Website

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The Renew Indianapolis land bank website is now live. You can use it to search the inventory across the city, make inquiries on purchasing a property, review the RFP process, and much more. Bill Taft, LISC Executive Director, is on the board of Renew Indianapolis and has partnered on this initiative since its inception. LISC is exited to see continued neighborhood revitalization in ensuring property is redeveloped alongside comprehensive community development strategies to bring renewed value to our communities.

NSP Transforms Neighborhoods

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Watch this video highlighting the progress and growth resulting from a $29 million investment in our community during 2009-2013. LISC was already working in neighborhoods to assist residents develop Quality of Life Plans, which set a resident-led vision and course of action necessary to revitalize their communities. When investments from the Neighborhood Stabilization Program (NSP) came into these communities, Quality of Life Plans were in place that allowed investments to quickly realize resident-drive goals. See how NSP transformed neighborhoods and people’s lives by building new housing units, creating parks and new community spaces, demolishing unsafe structures, and renovating homes into beautiful and … Continued

Mozingo Place: An anchor for positive change.

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Ten years ago, the Mozingo Building was neglected, crumbling, and had a faltering foundation. Bricks were literally falling out of the walls. It stood as a sad reminder of what had once been a spirited, vibrant neighborhood. But that all changed in 2002. That’s when Frank Hagaman, founder and former president of Partners in Housing Development Corporation, contacted LISC for help in transforming Mozingo into Mozingo Place—an affordable housing community focused on helping people with special needs. “People need the consistency and continuity of knowing they can live in a place that’s decent, safe, clean, and affordable,” said Hagaman. “I … Continued

Neighborhood Visionary: Jackie Nytes

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When Jackie Nytes first moved to Indianapolis’s Mapleton Fall Creek community in 1981, the neighborhood was in dire shape. Homes were vacant and abandoned, property values were low, and many residents seemed unconcerned about the state of their neighborhood. But Jackie didn’t see the Mapleton Fall Creek Neighborhood as a problem. She saw it as an opportunity. It was a chance to help restore one of Indianapolis’s great neighborhoods. So Jackie joined the Mapleton Fall Creek Development Corporation and asked the simple question: “how can I help?” It’s a question that Jackie’s still asking today—and it’s a question that the … Continued

Neighborhood Visionary: Phil Tom

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In 1978, Phil Tom came to Indianapolis with a job to do. He had just been named the new pastor at Westminster Presbyterian Church on the Near Eastside, and was excited about the opportunity. But when he arrived, he was surprised at how much the neighborhood had deteriorated. “When I first came to Westminister, there was lots of dilapidated, boarded-up housing. People were leaving the neighborhood, and it just wasn’t a great place to live. So some of us in the community took it upon ourselves to tackle the situation.” Phil and members of his church teamed up with Eastside … Continued

Neighborhood Visionary: Bill Gray

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Along a delightfully diagonal street on Downtown Indy’s northeast side, seven blocks bustle with culture and life. Trees illuminated in blue, landscapes dotted with flowers, and public art installations decorate the sidewalks. Classic bars, specialty restaurants, and alluring storefronts welcome patrons from every side of town. It’s hard not to fall for the charm of Massachusetts Avenue. But this bastion of urban cool didn’t appear overnight. Just 15 years ago, Mass Ave was facing an uncertain future—until a community came together to spark the growth of what has become one of Indy’s most vital neighborhoods. And Bill Gray has been … Continued