INDIANAPOLIS — The city of Indianapolis is investing in underfunded and underserved communities to improve their quality of life.
The life expectancy in Fishers is 84. That drops all the way down to 68 if you live on the near east side of Indianapolis.
East 38th Street and North Sherman Drive is at the heart of the East 38th Street Corridor. Safe and affordable housing is an issue there.
On Wednesday, city leaders announced the neighborhood is the latest to win funding through the Lift Indy program.
The area will receive $3.5 million to expand affordable housing, homeownership, economic development and park improvements.
"Housing is not only an essential need, but it serves as a catalyst to our community's resilience to thrive and sustain," said Ashley Gurvitz, CEO of United Northeast Community Development Corporation.
The East 38th Street Corridor's funding includes $2 million for homeownership opportunities, and will ultimately create 305 affordable rental units. The project also involves building five homes in the 5600 block of East 38th Street.
The economic development projects include programs for financial readiness and skill training for entrepreneurs and organizations.
Residents said the attention from the city is welcome.
"We are trying to be proactive in working to bring businesses in. Bring a bank in. Bringing opportunities for our neighborhoods just to better their quality of life and have activities within the neighborhood they can enjoy," said James Campbell, who lives in the neighborhood.
The new dollars follow other investments already underway.
Cook Medical will add jobs in the new manufacturing center that's under construction. Cook teamed up with Goodwill to create a new commercial services building.
A new Fresh Market grocery store is in development and there's more.
"We hope to establish the Purple Line, which is coming through, which will be a big help to us. It's an opportunity for the east side to have economic growth, better housing, better opportunities for the residents," said Campbell.
It is hoped the investment will help revitalize a community in the heart of Indy's "ZIP Code Divide," where a lack of resources, access and attention has taken a toll.
Since 2017, the City of Indianapolis has designated and funded a new Lift Indy area every year.
The East 38th Street Corridor is the eighth community to earn the mayor's Lift Indy designation. The Old Southside, East 10th Street and the near northside are previous winners.
Communities compete for the funding by defining the challenges they face. If they win, the money must be spent on economic development and public services.
Lift Indy is all about building sustainable, healthy Indianapolis neighborhoods. Neighbors who live in the East 38th Street Corridor said this investment will revitalize that community in more ways than one.