Help low-income seniors respond to Health Dept. citations

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When the Marion County Health Department cites a homeowner for deficiencies in their home, they have a short time to make corrections before they are subject to court dates, large fines, and potential vacate orders.Unresponsive homeowners can lose their homes to tax sales.When a low-income senior receives a citation in the mail, they know they don’t have the financial or personal resources to resolve it, so they typically ignore it and hope it goes away.It doesn’t!

We need a few volunteers who can help us work with these seniors to get the problems resolved. NeighborLink Indy does free home repair and maintenance for low-income seniors and disabled homeowners on the near north side of the city. These are seniors just trying to survive in their old age and they struggle to maintain their homes. You will help these good people stay safely in their own homes.The work schedule is flexible. We would call you periodically and ask for your help with a specific project.Most of the work is telephone conversations.Internet access is required as well.

Typical work involves discussing the situation with the senior homeowner, the Health Department inspector, possibly a lawyer who partners with NeighborLink to represent the homeowner, various members of NeighborLink who actually arrange the physical work to be done, and potentially any number of other aid agencies that can help meet the needs of the homeowner.It’s mostly done over phone or by email.You may want to actually meet the homeowner in some cases.It’s very satisfying work and much needed.

You will be benefiting senior and disabled homeowners who have no one else to turn to for help. We'll show you how it all works and let you try a project or two with an experienced before you commit to anything.Please help if you can.You'll be doing a great kindness and we really need your help right now! Email dave@nlindy.org or call 317 286-2740 and ask for Terence or Jeanette. Thanks!