Episode Transcript
Available transcripts are automatically generated. Complete accuracy is not guaranteed.
Speaker 1 (00:00):
Data shows that homelessness has increased seven percent in Indy
this past year. Wade, what, yeah, I know, I know
you're shocked.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
It's time we say so. It was interesting and I
know this little devetail into this next story about how
and I think this was in large part of the
work that the Indie Reporter account did with those dash
cam videos that he was doing. That homeless camp in
near Fountain Square is shutting down. And this is when
we talk about, you know, the idea of citizen activism,
citizen journalism taking it now. There's a variety of things.
(00:29):
I know, the people in that area had complained and
there were articles written about it, but that light that
had been shined on and the other people, our own
Ethan Hatcher was very involved in shining a light on that.
But it's time for us to say the quiet part
out loud, which we always paint homeless people as that
poor person, right, Oh, that guy just down on his
(00:50):
like ever somebody would just help him or help her.
There are people that are that way and every year
you and I and the WIBC air staff raised hundreds
of thousands of dollars to help those people through the
Salvation army. But in the case of something like Lugur Plaza, which,
by the way, now that the All Star Game is over,
homeless camp back in full effect out there in Lugur Plaza.
(01:12):
Did we call that, Yeah, we said one week, it'll
all be back. That is a choice. There is literally
a salvation army a block from Luger Plaza. If those
people wanted help, if they wanted a home, if they
wanted a job, if they wanted skills, if they wanted
to get out of that lifestyle, they could walk one
block and those people would help them. The reality is,
for so many people, homelessness is a choice. It is
(01:36):
a way of life. My dad used to say this
all the time about the people used to deal with
he was a federal law enforcement officer. He said, the
problem with a lot of these people is they're more
comfortable being institutionalized. They're used to the system and the
life that the system provides, and they are just fine.
I revoke these people, I send them back to the
(01:58):
federal prison. They're fine with it because that's where they're comfortable,
that's where they thrive, that's where their life is. It's
the same thing with homelessness. So many of these people
could have a better life. Now there is drugged out
zombie guy that totally needs a lot of help. There
is homeless people who are of no fault of their
own and could thrive if they got a hand up.
(02:19):
But so many of these people, and for some reason
we're afraid to say this out loud, have made the
choice to do this and we shouldn't tolerate it.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
So the city of Indianapolis is shutting down a homeless
encampment in Fountain Square. That's going to happen on August eleventh,
so lots of notice. The notice came from the Office
of Public Health and Safety. They posted it at the
site stating that the area was going to be permanently
closed to camping and any items left after August eleventh
(02:50):
would be discarded. Encampment is located near Interstate sixty five.
But to your point, and wibc's news guy Ryan Hendrick
went out and he was talking to homeowners near a location,
and at the end of this clip he does talk
to some people who are homeless. And I want you
to pay attention to what the last woman says in
(03:12):
this clip.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
Now, I've reached out to property owners here in Indianapolis.
On the south side nine oh five Buchanan, nine oh nine,
nine seventeen, all up and down Buchanan. There's at least
two or three four sale signs. One four sale sign
has an asking price of six hundred and sixty five
thousand dollars, and people say they can't sell their home
(03:33):
if there's a homeless encampment.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
Druggist is going on everywhere. I feel like you. Some
can hide it, some don't.
Speaker 4 (03:40):
That doesn't mean that us out here being homeless is
due to drug use.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
We all have a different story.
Speaker 4 (03:45):
So I bought the house Mondernique, my parents.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
My parents are down here of a mom and then
the Mosley Tolings brand my dad over.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
So they keep lying to him about how he works
for the Try and Final Losses. Hey, Kate Fairlieah, he's
having a medical problem at the same time in treading
the getting clean. That's why I'm homeless now.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
This woman, her name is Tanya, but they call her
Mama t and she said that she's going to run
for mayor in Indianapolis in twenty twenty eight. She talks
about her journey and what brought her to homelessness here
on Fountain square.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
Because we have a voice. Nobody wants to believe that
we matter. That's what it seems to me anyway. But
we do matter, like we're not stupid. Not everybody's addicted
to drugs. I have raised four kids, I'm a very
intelligent woman. I'm going to school to be a minister right.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Now, thank you. Because that's always the narrative of is
it some person who is some drug field thing and
it was above their own No. The reality is, and
any person who's been remotely honest to you has any
expertise on this whatsoever. Abdul and I used to talk
about this all the time. Abduel did research on this
for years, and he will tell you there are three
(04:58):
types of homeless people and they all have to be
treated differently, and the Mayor's not dealing with any of them.
There are the actual homeless people, like, hey, this person
lost their job. They were in some sort of addiction
thing or something, and if they just had somebody help them,
they could probably recover and go back to living a
normal life. Those people do exist. I'm not denying that.
(05:19):
But then there are people and I lump them into
the same thing. The panhandler and institution people who they
have made it a way of life. I sort of
put them in the same thing. Now, not all homeless
people are panhandlers. They're not all like bothering you were
getting up in your grill. But they are people who
could do better. They have the ability, they have the skills,
they are able bodied, they could, they choose not to.
(05:40):
They're more comfortable in the life. And then the third
part of it is the drugged out zombie guide and
they all have to be treated differently. And Joe Hawks
that is failing. The city is failing with every single
one of those groups. Well.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
As we mentioned, homelessness in Indianapolis increased seven percent this
past year. It's the highest number since twenty twenty one,
and it rose twenty four Chronic homelessness rose twenty four
percent year over year. Four hundred and one individuals identified
as chronically homeless.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
And it shouldn't happen when there is And again I
use Luger Plaza as the example. If people want to
fight with me about this, there is a Salvation Army
who that is what they do. They help you with
whatever your thing is, and their doors are always open.
They do not turn people away. That's why we do
what we do every December to raise money in our
(06:31):
WIBC audience so graciously gives money. If you want to
overcome that, if you want to beat that, there are
tons of resources. A group like Helping Veterans and Families
we've helped raise money for them. Ye like, there are resources,
but you have to want the resources, you have to
want the help, and the help sometimes is hard, and
those people do not want to go through that process.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
Well, and let's make sure that not being accused of
fake news here, because the actual statistics and numbers don't lie.
Nationwide homelessness rose eighteen percent last year. Nationwide eighteen percent,
Indianapolis twenty four percent.
Data shows that homelessness has increased seven percent in Indy
this past year. Wade, what, yeah, I know, I know
you're shocked.
Speaker 2 (00:08):
It's time we say so. It was interesting and I
know this little devetail into this next story about how
and I think this was in large part of the
work that the Indie Reporter account did with those dash
cam videos that he was doing. That homeless camp in
near Fountain Square is shutting down. And this is when
we talk about, you know, the idea of citizen activism,
citizen journalism taking it now. There's a variety of things.
(00:29):
I know, the people in that area had complained and
there were articles written about it, but that light that
had been shined on and the other people, our own
Ethan Hatcher was very involved in shining a light on that.
But it's time for us to say the quiet part
out loud, which we always paint homeless people as that
poor person, right, Oh, that guy just down on his
(00:50):
like ever somebody would just help him or help her.
There are people that are that way and every year
you and I and the WIBC air staff raised hundreds
of thousands of dollars to help those people through the
Salvation army. But in the case of something like Lugur Plaza, which,
by the way, now that the All Star Game is over,
homeless camp back in full effect out there in Lugur Plaza.
(01:12):
Did we call that, Yeah, we said one week, it'll
all be back. That is a choice. There is literally
a salvation army a block from Luger Plaza. If those
people wanted help, if they wanted a home, if they
wanted a job, if they wanted skills, if they wanted
to get out of that lifestyle, they could walk one
block and those people would help them. The reality is,
for so many people, homelessness is a choice. It is
(01:36):
a way of life. My dad used to say this
all the time about the people used to deal with
he was a federal law enforcement officer. He said, the
problem with a lot of these people is they're more
comfortable being institutionalized. They're used to the system and the
life that the system provides, and they are just fine.
I revoke these people, I send them back to the
(01:58):
federal prison. They're fine with it because that's where they're comfortable,
that's where they thrive, that's where their life is. It's
the same thing with homelessness. So many of these people
could have a better life. Now there is drugged out
zombie guy that totally needs a lot of help. There
is homeless people who are of no fault of their
own and could thrive if they got a hand up.
(02:19):
But so many of these people, and for some reason
we're afraid to say this out loud, have made the
choice to do this and we shouldn't tolerate it.
Speaker 1 (02:29):
So the city of Indianapolis is shutting down a homeless
encampment in Fountain Square. That's going to happen on August eleventh,
so lots of notice. The notice came from the Office
of Public Health and Safety. They posted it at the
site stating that the area was going to be permanently
closed to camping and any items left after August eleventh
(02:50):
would be discarded. Encampment is located near Interstate sixty five.
But to your point, and wibc's news guy Ryan Hendrick
went out and he was talking to homeowners near a location,
and at the end of this clip he does talk
to some people who are homeless. And I want you
to pay attention to what the last woman says in
(03:12):
this clip.
Speaker 3 (03:13):
Now, I've reached out to property owners here in Indianapolis.
On the south side nine oh five Buchanan, nine oh nine,
nine seventeen, all up and down Buchanan. There's at least
two or three four sale signs. One four sale sign
has an asking price of six hundred and sixty five
thousand dollars, and people say they can't sell their home
(03:33):
if there's a homeless encampment.
Speaker 2 (03:35):
Druggist is going on everywhere. I feel like you. Some
can hide it, some don't.
Speaker 4 (03:40):
That doesn't mean that us out here being homeless is
due to drug use.
Speaker 2 (03:44):
We all have a different story.
Speaker 4 (03:45):
So I bought the house Mondernique, my parents.
Speaker 3 (03:47):
My parents are down here of a mom and then
the Mosley Tolings brand my dad over.
Speaker 4 (03:53):
So they keep lying to him about how he works
for the Try and Final Losses. Hey, Kate Fairlieah, he's
having a medical problem at the same time in treading
the getting clean. That's why I'm homeless now.
Speaker 3 (04:04):
This woman, her name is Tanya, but they call her
Mama t and she said that she's going to run
for mayor in Indianapolis in twenty twenty eight. She talks
about her journey and what brought her to homelessness here
on Fountain square.
Speaker 4 (04:20):
Because we have a voice. Nobody wants to believe that
we matter. That's what it seems to me anyway. But
we do matter, like we're not stupid. Not everybody's addicted
to drugs. I have raised four kids, I'm a very
intelligent woman. I'm going to school to be a minister right.
Speaker 2 (04:37):
Now, thank you. Because that's always the narrative of is
it some person who is some drug field thing and
it was above their own No. The reality is, and
any person who's been remotely honest to you has any
expertise on this whatsoever. Abdul and I used to talk
about this all the time. Abduel did research on this
for years, and he will tell you there are three
(04:58):
types of homeless people and they all have to be
treated differently, and the Mayor's not dealing with any of them.
There are the actual homeless people, like, hey, this person
lost their job. They were in some sort of addiction
thing or something, and if they just had somebody help them,
they could probably recover and go back to living a
normal life. Those people do exist. I'm not denying that.
(05:19):
But then there are people and I lump them into
the same thing. The panhandler and institution people who they
have made it a way of life. I sort of
put them in the same thing. Now, not all homeless
people are panhandlers. They're not all like bothering you were
getting up in your grill. But they are people who
could do better. They have the ability, they have the skills,
they are able bodied, they could, they choose not to.
(05:40):
They're more comfortable in the life. And then the third
part of it is the drugged out zombie guide and
they all have to be treated differently. And Joe Hawks
that is failing. The city is failing with every single
one of those groups. Well.
Speaker 1 (05:51):
As we mentioned, homelessness in Indianapolis increased seven percent this
past year. It's the highest number since twenty twenty one,
and it rose twenty four Chronic homelessness rose twenty four
percent year over year. Four hundred and one individuals identified
as chronically homeless.
Speaker 2 (06:09):
And it shouldn't happen when there is And again I
use Luger Plaza as the example. If people want to
fight with me about this, there is a Salvation Army
who that is what they do. They help you with
whatever your thing is, and their doors are always open.
They do not turn people away. That's why we do
what we do every December to raise money in our
(06:31):
WIBC audience so graciously gives money. If you want to
overcome that, if you want to beat that, there are
tons of resources. A group like Helping Veterans and Families
we've helped raise money for them. Ye like, there are resources,
but you have to want the resources, you have to
want the help, and the help sometimes is hard, and
those people do not want to go through that process.
Speaker 1 (06:52):
Well, and let's make sure that not being accused of
fake news here, because the actual statistics and numbers don't lie.
Nationwide homelessness rose eighteen percent last year. Nationwide eighteen percent,
Indianapolis twenty four percent.
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