INDIANAPOLIS — The sale of a troubled apartment complex on Indy's north side is a done deal, with the new owner telling residents that many improvements will be made in the coming months.
Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett's office confirmed Tuesday that Lakeside Pointe at Nora, near North College Avenue and East 91st Street, was under new ownership.
"While we are hopeful for the future of the property, our top priority continues to be the safety and well-being of the property's residents," the mayor said in a statement. "We are committed to working with the new owner to address the long-deferred maintenance and outstanding enforcement actions. And, we will continue to engage with neighbors and community stakeholders to ensure that the new property owner is meeting its obligations to tenants."
Earlier this year, Indianapolis Mayor Joe Hogsett announced the city was planning to sue the owners of Lakeside Pointe under the state's nuisance property law if "real progress" on living conditions wasn't made by Jan. 31.
The new owner is Genesis Housing Foundation, Inc., which acquired the apartment complex on March 1.
"Like so many who have followed the stories concerning the unfair conditions that the residents of Lakeside have endured due to the declining and unacceptable state of the property and its abandonment by the former owners, Genesis Housing understood the need for new ownership and management to bring real relief to these families," a law firm for Genesis Housing said in a statement to 13News.
A representative for Genesis Housing said it prepared a rehabilitation plan with advice from the City of Indianapolis and Marion County Health & Hospital Corporation. The group said it has begun working with Elon Property Management to "restore the safety, decency, and habitability" of the complex.
RELATED: City of Indianapolis threatens to sue Lakeside Pointe owners over 'unacceptable living conditions'
Elon Property Management manages over 19,000 apartment homes in several states.
The plans include building back burned-down buildings and addressing longstanding maintenance issues.
In a letter to residents dated March 1, Elon Property Management asked for patience and understanding as it works to address several issues. Residents were asked to hold off on reporting non-emergency service requests until Monday, April 4, while emergency orders are addressed.
City officials said tenants have dealt with collapsed ceilings, a lack of heat or water, and unanswered maintenance requests for more than a year. On top of that, firefighters were called to the complex at least 21 times last year. Hundreds of violations have been filed against Lakeside Pointe by the city and county since 2017.
"There must be real consequences for charging Indianapolis residents to live in unacceptable and uninhabitable conditions," Hogsett said on Jan. 25. "That should not be the way of life in any city but especially not in our city."
