Housing Justice Task Force
Promoting safe and fair housing for our neighbors
Meridian Street's Housing Justice Task Force grew out of a book study group focusing on Evicted: Poverty and Profit in the American City by Matthew Desmond. After study and much discussion, the group is currently focused on court watching of eviction and related proceedings, in addition to exploring opportunities for influencing the legislative process regarding fair housing.
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Eviction Court Watching
What is an eviction court watcher?
An individual who goes to 1 of the 9 Marion County small claims courts on days eviction cases are heard to:
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Listen and observe the proceedings
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Hear the tenants’ stories
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Realize how vulnerable their lives are
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Begin recording and documenting data surrounding each case.
Indiana has very few tenant-protective laws, so data is collected by court watchers with the hope of changing the way a few judges handle eviction cases (like a factory assembly line) and to eventually, get fair and equitable housing laws in this state.​ Why is eviction court watching important? The belief of most court watchers and those involved in housing advocacy work is that every individual has the right to live in safe, habitable, and affordable housing. Our Indiana laws are some of the poorest in the nation.
Court Watcher's Data Collection Tool
Collaborating community partners
Community and faith congregations are our partners in housing advocacy giving a stronger, more unified voice to the goals the task force hopes to achieve.
​Mentoring Partners include:
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Dr. Fran Quigley, Director of the Health and Human Rights Clinic, IU
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Andy Beck, Director of the Indianapolis Tenant Advocacy Program
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Rabbi Aaron Speigel, Director, Greater Indianapolis Multifaith Alliance (GIMA)
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Andrew Bradley, Senior Director of Policy and Strategy and Hale Crumley, Policy Manager, both with Prosperity Indiana.
For more information:
click on the links below:
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Contact the Housing Justice Task Force at HJTF@gmail.com for more information on how to get connected and to sign up for Meridian Street’s Housing Justice Task Force quarterly newsletter.
The Housing Justice Task Force at Meridian Street UMC:
Cheryl Shore, Midge Greising, Elaine Martin, Dick D'Alton, Sharry Gregory, Carolyn Kingen and Sally Dyer.
This team continues to be a leader in fighting the inequities of evictions and lack of affordable housing in Indianapolis.