“Uncovering the Impact of Environmental Issues on Housing in Indiana: A Closer Look at Redlining and Displacement”

Residents were displaced in Gary, Indiana after high levels of lead were found in the soil. A new analysis from the Fair Housing Center of Central Indiana (FHCCI) examined how pressing environmental issues can impact housing throughout the state. The report found that historic policies such as redlining continue to haunt minority communities in Indiana.

The report looked at environmental concerns that neighborhoods are currently facing, including extreme heat, flooding, and air pollution. Researchers found that groups most subject to discrimination under fair housing laws are more likely to feel environmental impacts.

Brady Ripperger, deputy director of administration and advocacy with the FHCCI, stated that some areas most impacted by environmental change in Indiana are in formerly redlined neighborhoods. Minority communities are often forced into communities located next to Superfund sites, brownfield sites, polluted areas, or areas that were previously dumping grounds.

Superfund sites are federally recognized areas in need of environmental remediation, with Indiana having 54 such sites but only 20 cleaned up. The report also highlighted that brownfields, former industrial sites that were never cleaned up, are disproportionately nearer to low-income housing.

In Indianapolis, a majority of formerly redlined neighborhoods lack tree coverage, which plays a role in reducing heat risk in neighborhoods. Ripperger emphasized that the environment is directly related to housing stock, much of which is aging in Indiana.

The report also addressed other environmental hazards such as lead exposure, flood risk, and air quality. Ripperger suggested that policy change, better access to testing for contaminants, and expanding free legal services for residents could help combat environmental disparities in housing.

The analysis serves as a reminder of the ongoing challenges faced by minority communities in Indiana and the importance of addressing environmental issues in housing discussions. For more information, contact WFYI Morning Edition newscaster and reporter Abriana Herron at [email protected].