Indianapolis Board of Business and Neighborhood Services - August 27, 2026

The Board of Business and Neighborhood Services (BNS) met on August 27, 2026, to approve lien resolutions and receive the department's 2027 budget presentation. Director Abby Brands presided, and board members Courtney Yarbrough, Camille Blunt, and Kate Warpool introduced themselves. The board consented to moving the budget presentation after the action items. The July 23rd meeting minutes were approved unanimously.

Action Items

• Minutes: The board approved the July 23rd meeting minutes by unanimous voice vote.
• Resolution 2026 C-10030 (also referenced as 'C 1003' in the transcript): The board authorized the director to place liens on properties listed in Exhibit A for unpaid high weeds and grass mowing and abatement costs under Chapter 575. Staff reported 307 mowing cases totaling $136,873. The motion passed unanimously.
• Resolution 2026 C-10031: The board authorized the director to place liens on properties listed in Exhibit A for unpaid trash, junk, and debris cleanup and abatement costs under Chapter 361. Staff reported 34 trash violation cases totaling $16,487.10, with cases reflecting amounts 30 days past due as of August 27, 2026. The motion passed unanimously.

2027 Budget Presentation

• BNS presented its 2027 budget for information; it is not a voting matter. The budget is increasing by nearly $1.4 million, with $1.3 million of that increase dedicated to personnel. Personnel increases include 3% cost-of-living adjustments for non-union staff and 3% increases for union staff per the collective bargaining agreement. The department's attrition rate assumption drops from 17.79% to 5.9%, and a new enterprise-wide step-and-grade policy for non-union staff was noted.
• The department projects $25.5 million in 2027 revenue across licenses and permits, charges for services, fines and forfeitures, and other receipts.
• BNS reported on flood response: over 4,000 rapid damage assessments completed in less than a week by about 30 inspectors to support FEMA disaster relief.
• Staffing: BNS currently has 10 vacancies, roughly half in each division; an enterprise culture survey scored BNS at or above the city average.
• Construction and business services: 460 booking appointments have been scheduled; state legislation changes and new workflows were implemented; a special events ordinance overhaul is underway.
• Streamline Indy: drainage permit data showed 104 permits in progress, with 95 waiting on the applicant; average turnaround improved from 113 working days in the prior year to 62 in 2025, with a 2026 year-to-date average of 47 working days against a target of 45. Structural permits issued averaged 15 working days; 25% of applications remained in progress, and applicant response times averaged 15 working days, with one case waiting 106 days.
• Neighborhood and property enforcement: 13 tons collected in the first neighborhood cleanup; 31 tons collected in 2025; over 400 tons abated in 2025 through trash cases. The high weeds and grass assistance program provided one free mow year-to-date at a city cost of $95.
• Repair, vacancy, and demolition: over 1,100 repair orders opened last year; 500 opened year-to-date at the beginning of August; 667 vacancy cases opened against a target of about 100 in 2026. In 2025, 107 structures were bid for demolition; 49 structures are under contract, 36 are in the bid process, and 50 remain in the backlog.
• Technology: new right-of-way inspection requests, a road closures map, a case-search tool, an Open Counter permit wizard, and expanded interpreter services in the six most-spoken languages were highlighted. BNS is moving from an OpenGov discovery contract to a request for qualifications for a new permitting and code enforcement system.
• Alley program: $5 million committed over three years; 32 alley segments completed, representing over 27,000 feet of right-of-way; more than 44 tons of illegal dumping cleaned up.
• XBE spending: city goals are 15% for MBE, 8% for WBE, and 3% for VBE. BNS exceeded goals by about 2 percentage points in two categories over a nine-year average and was about a quarter point short in the MBE category. This year, roughly $250,000, or 11.5% of eligible spend, has gone to MBE firms so far.

Key Outcomes

• The board unanimously approved the July 23rd minutes, Resolution C-10030, and Resolution C-10031.
• The 2027 budget presentation was received by the board for information and discussion; no vote was taken.
• The next regular meeting is scheduled for September 24, 2026, at 3:00 PM in Room T260.