INDIANA, Marion County — We are now less than two months away from Election Day, and in Marion County, there are several big races heating up. The seats up for grabs include the Indianapolis mayor and city-county councilors.
Instead of focusing on just the politics, 13News is also diving into the issues impacting voters the most.
Over the next few weeks, Lauren Kostiuk will bring you stories from the community as part of our “Decision 2023 in Marion County” series.
A big change this year is the newly drawn council districts. Some are more competitive, and several are guaranteed to have new representatives. That means new voices that are trying to solve the city’s problems.
But no matter which district you live in, all of our communities are dealing with the same three issues: gun violence, infrastructure and housing.
Housing
The price of the average house in Indianapolis climbed more than 60% in the past five years, according to real estate website Redfin. That means the average homebuyer will pay an extra $100,000 to buy a home.
Rent for a two-bedroom apartment is also up 8% in just the last year.
Infrastructure
Indianapolis DPW said it needs another $1 billion just to build and maintain the city's roads, bridges and sidewalks. That is essentially the city's entire budget. The city has previously said just 19% of its roads are in "good shape."
Gun violence
The biggest issue the city faces may be gun violence. The toll will likely be down from the record 271 homicides in 2021, but Indianapolis is still on track for more than 200 homicides this year. That is a lot of families searching for justice.
Both of the major candidates for mayor have made public safety the cornerstone of their campaigns, but beyond the advertisements and the statistics are people and communities living with the reality of these issues every day.
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Whether you are living with the gun violence near one of the deadliest addresses in the city or struggling to find a home where you can start a family or just trying to get to work on time, these issues have a real impact.
This month, 13News is looking at these issues — how they are impacting our communities, and how people are working to solve them without waiting for politicians.
On Sept. 19, our Decision 2023 in Marion County series is taking on gun violence. Lauren Kostiuk is heading to the City-County Council District that has had more homicides than any other this year.
She will share the real-world impacts and the people fighting back.