Pence Signs Moed Proposals To Put Neighborhoods First

I believe Justin is working hard for us - Ruth Soper

INDIANAPOLIS – Indiana Gov. Mike Pence has lent his support to the “Neighborhoods First” agenda advanced by State Rep. Justin Moed (D-Indianapolis) by signing into law two critical components of the freshman lawmaker’s program.


 In recent ceremonies at the Indiana Statehouse, the governor gave final approval to measures authored by Moed that will help reduce the problems caused by abandoned housing and provide a critical tool in making neighborhoods across the state safer.

From my first day in the Indiana House, I pledged to take an active role in improving the quality of neighborhoods, because they are the backbone of our communities,” Moed said. “It has been gratifying to see that lawmakers throughout the state are signing on to make these changes in state law, because strong neighborhoods are critical in both urban and rural parts of Indiana.

Now the governor has given these proposals his blessing, and I am pleased to say that these reforms are bipartisan and they will have an impact on the lives of many Hoosier families,” Moed said. Signed into law were:

• HOUSE ENROLLED ACT 1568 (PUBLIC LAW 118), which re-establishes an Urban Homesteading Program that speeds up the process of finding owners for abandoned housing. People who have received pre-approval for an FHA Renovation Loan would have the ability to purchase an abandoned house or a vacant property for as little as $1, as long as they promise to fix the property and live there for at least three years,” Moed said. The bill also would help solve the problem of abandoned housing by allowing homeowners of adjacent properties to purchase an abandoned home or vacant lot for $1. 
• HOUSE ENROLLED ACT 1441 (PUBLIC LAW 224), which is designed to deter the theft of catalytic converters and copper HVAC coils by limiting who can sell these metals to scrapyards. Sellers would be required to prove ownership or that they work in the HVAC or automotive industries. Converters and coils are popular items among thieves, because they have been able to turn them into cash quickly,” Moed noted. “By adding these extra layers of protection, we can reduce the risk that these metals will be stolen.” 

Both laws will take effect on July 1. This is a good start in helping neighborhoods, but I want to emphasize that it is only the start,” Moed said. “There are many other things we can do, and I will be taking every opportunity in the months to come to get more input from my constituents about what we can do to help them improve the quality of life in their areas.

I know that neighborhood issues will be a subject for study by the Legislature, and I intend to ask leaders if I can serve on that committee so we can build on the reforms started this session,” he concluded.

Justin Moed 
Cell: 317-997-4914
Email: h97@in.gov

Posted by Uche