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Record of Proceedings

Marion County Commissioners Meeting – September 15, 2026

Other Meetings (J-Z) — Tuesday, September 15, 2026

BodyIndianapolis, Indiana

SessionOther Meetings (J-Z)

DateTuesday, September 15, 2026

StatusFILED

Video Record

0:00 / 30:46

Transcript — VerbatimClick a timed line to jump · ⧉ to share it

0:01

Okay, I'm gonna go ahead and call this meeting to order.

0:04

This is the Marion County Commissioners meeting.

0:07

My name is Joseph O'Connor.

0:09

I'm the president of the county commissioners.

0:11

It is September 15th, 2026, approximately 2 03 p.m.

0:16

And we are in room 260 of the city county building.

0:20

First order of business will be introductions on my left.

0:25

Good afternoon.

0:26

Um I am Milo Eldrich.

0:28

I have the privilege of serving as the Marion County Auditor and the Secretary for the Commission.

0:35

Good afternoon.

0:36

I am Barbara Lawrence, Marion County Treasurer and Vice President of the Council of the Commissioners.

0:44

Thank you.

0:45

Next order of those will be to approve the meeting minutes from the August 18th, 2026 meeting.

0:51

Do we have any additions or corrections from that meeting?

0:55

Hearing now, I'll entertain a motion.

0:58

Mr.

0:59

President, I move approval of the nennates of the August 18th, 2026 meeting as presented.

1:06

Second.

1:06

Okay, we have a motion to approve and a second.

1:08

All in favor, please signify by saying aye.

1:10

Aye.

1:11

Opposed, same sign.

1:12

Minutes are approved.

1:16

Looks like review of the nonprofit applications for the Marion County nonprofit tax lien sale.

1:22

I'll let you take over, Ryan.

1:24

Good afternoon, Commissioners.

1:26

Three nonprofits have applied to participate in the 2026 nonprofit tax sale.

1:31

These nonprofits are the Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership or INHP, Near North Development Corporation, and C Hughes School of Change Incorporated, which is a new nonprofit that has not participated in the past.

1:47

At this time, staff recommends approving the applications of the following nonprofits.

1:53

INHP, Near North Development Corporation, and C Hughes School of Change Incorporated.

1:58

Are there any questions from the commissioners?

2:01

I do.

2:02

I know at one point you had indicated that there might have been some liens pending or an issue with one of those.

2:14

There were some delinquent some delinquent nuisance liens on the CHU School of Change, their main property, but they paid they satisfied those.

2:28

Okay.

2:28

Has this been like in the past week or yes?

2:32

Okay.

2:33

And I believe I I think that we had just sent them a the hey, you need to pay this when I spoke to you.

2:41

Okay.

2:41

And so then they resolved it that same day.

2:44

Okay.

2:44

And can you tell me how many homes they've rehabbed?

2:48

They have completed two, one in 2024 and one in 2025.

2:53

Okay, so they do have a track record.

2:56

And do you know what their source of funding for the rehab projects was?

3:03

Yes, let me get to that page in here.

3:14

Passed all of the bylaws.

3:18

So at the moment they have $535,000 in liabilities and the assets.

3:26

Um they the funding for um this project specifically is from right now from committed charitable pledges.

3:46

They have $40,000 that they can they are ready now to commit.

3:50

Okay.

3:51

And do you you think they have uh um did they understand the redemption process and then it's gonna be a year in yes, okay.

4:04

In fact, their implementation timeline is the most thorough that I've seen on any application so far for the nonprofit tax.

4:11

Okay, good.

4:14

It even has a line for if the property is redeemed.

4:18

Okay, okay.

4:21

Um I provided a copy of their application in the red folder.

4:25

Um you can all take it with you and review it.

4:28

Okay, so you can see how impressed I am.

Discussion Breakdown — Share of Meeting

Affordable Housing█████████████████████████████████████████████52%

Public Works████████████████18%

Procedural█████████████15%

Property Tax Assessment██████7%

Nonprofit Management████5%

Pending Litigation███3%

Summary of Proceedings

Marion County Commissioners Meeting – September 15, 2026

The Marion County Commissioners met on September 15, 2026, at approximately 2:03 PM in Room 260 of the City-County Building in Indianapolis, Indiana. President Joseph O'Connor presided, joined by Auditor Milo Eldrich (Secretary) and Treasurer Barbara Lawrence (Vice President). The meeting covered approval of prior minutes, nonprofit tax lien applications, a property transfer process, and updates on tax-sale-funded housing projects.

Consent Calendar

Approval of Minutes: The minutes from the August 18, 2026 meeting were approved unanimously (all in favor, no opposition).
Nonprofit Tax Lien Sale Applications: Three nonprofits were approved to participate in the 2026 nonprofit tax sale: Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership (INHP), Near North Development Corporation, and C Hughes School of Change Incorporated. Staff recommended approval, noting that C Hughes had satisfied delinquent nuisance liens on their main property. Discussion revealed that C Hughes has completed two home rehabilitations (one in 2024, one in 2025) and has $40,000 in committed charitable pledges ready for new projects. The motion carried unanimously.

Public Comments & Testimony

No public comments were made during the meeting.

Discussion Items

Transfer of Property to a Person Able to Repair and Maintain: Two parcels were identified from the 2014 Marion County Tax Lien sale: a strip of land near the Kroger parking lot (10th Street) and a sliver near the former Irish Mutt on Shayland Road. Staff declared the properties suitable for transfer, opened an application process, and scheduled a hearing for November 17, 2026 to select an applicant. Deputy Treasurer Mickey Rogers explained that the parcels were originally private access roads retained by a now-defunct trust; they have fallen into disrepair and are currently unmaintained. The motion to proceed passed unanimously.
Nonprofit Tax Sale Updates:
- Jasmine Buchanan of Martindale Brightwood Community Development Corporation (MBCDC) reported on parcels from the 2022–2024 tax sales. Notably, 2749 Station Street was sold on September 11, 2026 to Keith Edmonds, a 62-year-old buyer on fixed income at approximately 60% AMI – the first completed and sold project from the program. The property was fully gutted and remodeled (including asbestos removal and sewer line work). Other projects: 2844 Brookside Avenue (new construction after demolition; demolition permit approved after four months, scheduled for September 21); 2641 Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Street (applying for HOME funds); 2873 Stewart Street (future HOME application); 4500 Hillside (double lot, exploring partnership with Habitat for Humanity). MBCDC requested and was granted release of the project agreement for 2749 Station Street.
- Kelly Mergot, President of Southeast Neighborhood Development (Send), provided an update on their portfolio. Since 2019, Send has completed 25 homes, using funding from HOME, new market tax credits, and ARPA vacant-to-vibrant funds. Specific tax-sale parcels: 1341 East Minnesota (demolished at $16,000, now in 2027 HOME application); 234 South Oxford (triple lot, not yet in HOME application); 3333 Prospect Street (needs further neighborhood engagement). No action was needed on the update.

Key Outcomes

Minutes Approved: Unanimous approval of August 18, 2026 meeting minutes.
Nonprofit Applications Approved: Three nonprofits were approved for the 2026 tax lien sale (INHP, Near North, C Hughes).
Property Transfer Process Launched: Two parcels were declared suitable for transfer; applications are open, and a public hearing will be held on November 17, 2026.
Project Agreement Released: MBCDC’s project agreement for 2749 Station Street was released unanimously after sale to an income-qualified buyer.
Next Meeting: October 20, 2026 at 2:00 PM in Room 260 of the City-County Building. The meeting was adjourned.

Meeting Transcript

Okay, I'm gonna go ahead and call this meeting to order. This is the Marion County Commissioners meeting. My name is Joseph O'Connor. I'm the president of the county commissioners. It is September 15th, 2026, approximately 2 03 p.m. And we are in room 260 of the city county building. First order of business will be introductions on my left. Good afternoon. Um I am Milo Eldrich. I have the privilege of serving as the Marion County Auditor and the Secretary for the Commission. Good afternoon. I am Barbara Lawrence, Marion County Treasurer and Vice President of the Council of the Commissioners. Thank you. Next order of those will be to approve the meeting minutes from the August 18th, 2026 meeting. Do we have any additions or corrections from that meeting? Hearing now, I'll entertain a motion. Mr. President, I move approval of the nennates of the August 18th, 2026 meeting as presented. Second. Okay, we have a motion to approve and a second. All in favor, please signify by saying aye. Aye. Opposed, same sign. Minutes are approved. Looks like review of the nonprofit applications for the Marion County nonprofit tax lien sale. I'll let you take over, Ryan. Good afternoon, Commissioners. Three nonprofits have applied to participate in the 2026 nonprofit tax sale. These nonprofits are the Indianapolis Neighborhood Housing Partnership or INHP, Near North Development Corporation, and C Hughes School of Change Incorporated, which is a new nonprofit that has not participated in the past. At this time, staff recommends approving the applications of the following nonprofits. INHP, Near North Development Corporation, and C Hughes School of Change Incorporated. Are there any questions from the commissioners? I do. I know at one point you had indicated that there might have been some liens pending or an issue with one of those. There were some delinquent some delinquent nuisance liens on the CHU School of Change, their main property, but they paid they satisfied those. Okay. Has this been like in the past week or yes? Okay. And I believe I I think that we had just sent them a the hey, you need to pay this when I spoke to you. Okay. And so then they resolved it that same day. Okay. And can you tell me how many homes they've rehabbed? They have completed two, one in 2024 and one in 2025. Okay, so they do have a track record. And do you know what their source of funding for the rehab projects was? Yes, let me get to that page in here. Passed all of the bylaws. So at the moment they have $535,000 in liabilities and the assets. Um they the funding for um this project specifically is from right now from committed charitable pledges.

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