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Safe Park Indy

Safe Park Indy provides safe overnight parking for the unhoused in Indianapolis living in their cars due to homelessness. We are the first safe and so far only safe parking organization in Indiana.

Our waitlist is long and we will reopen when we have more availability. Check here and on our social media to learn when it reopens!​

Are you homeless, living in your vehicle and needing a safe place to park overnight?

Our waitlist will reopen when we have more available spaces. Check back and follow us on social media to learn when it reopens!

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What is safe parking?

Safe parking is a tested and proven strategy that has bridged the gap for homeless individuals in communities across the country for 20+ years.

 

Safe parking provides access to safe, legal overnight parking for individuals and families living in their vehicles due to homelessness. Locations such as businesses and places of worship provide their parking lots for use during the evening, overnight and early morning hours to host unhoused individuals in their cars.

Safe parking programs are proven to provide:

 

  • Increased safety and security for people and their property

  • Increased access to services and employment and/or education opportunities

  • Improved rest, which can lead to better outcomes in areas such as physical and mental health and employment

  • More day-to-day stability

Safe parking is not intended to be a permanent solution, but rather helps people stay safe -- and connected to social services -- while on the path to finding stable housing. 

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The Need in Indianapolis

Even by modest estimates, Indy has far more individuals needing shelter than we have available space. While there are numerous safe parking programs around the country, Indy has no such initiative -- until now.

Safe parking is not meant to replace shelters and long-term housing; it's a much needed crisis response for those with nowhere else to turn.

The 2024 Point-in-Time Count identified more than 1,700 homeless individuals in Indianapolis. But because most surveys of people experiencing homelessness exclude or undercount people living in their vehicles, the actual number of individuals experiencing vehicular homelessness is unknown; some experts estimate more than 100,000 nationwide. If only Safe Park Indy's clients were added to the PIT count, the city's "official" homeless count would grow by nearly 25%. Sheltering in vehicles is often a first stop for individuals who lose permanent housing; nearly 70% of our clients are experiencing homelessness for the first time. Without intervention and support, many fall deeper into homelessness and may eventually end up on the streets. 

The reasons that people experiencing homelessness reside in their cars rather than in shelters are many and may include:

  • Long waiting lists for transitional and/or affordable housing

  • Lack of available shelter space, or appropriate space to keep a family unit together (particularly for couples, families with children, LGBTQ individuals and people with pets)

  • Available shelter space may be inaccessible to people with disabilities or inappropriate for some individuals (e.g., some people with PTSD)

  • Shelter hours are incompatible with work schedules or are too far from work locations

  • Desire for stability, autonomy and privacy

Who We Serve

To be admitted to the safe parking program:

  • Individuals must be homeless and living in their vehicles. (We do not serve those who are living in their vehicles as an intentional lifestyle choice.)

  • Individuals cannot have a history of violent crimes, crimes sexual in nature/those on the sex offender registry, or active warrants. We conduct a national background check before admittance into the program.

  • Individuals must sign and agree to the Client Code of Conduct.

We welcome clients of any gender identity, sexual orientation, age, ethnicity, race, faith or other protected characteristics. We also welcome clients with pets. 

We do not allow RVs, campers, trailers or buses. 

Lot locations are not made public. Once a client is admitted into the program, they will be provided with the lot location and rules for their assigned lots. We operate multiple lots, and rules and amenities can vary location by location.​ Generally speaking:

  • Check in is flexible and is entirely virtual via a QR code.

  • Quiet hours are observed from 10pm - 5am.

  • Clients must check out by 7am.

  • All services are always free to clients.

Support Indy's unhoused neighbors.
Donate to Safe Park Indy today.

Safe Park Indy Donation Box

We are an all-volunteer nonprofit organization, and all services to clients are free. Donate to support our mission to provide safe parking to Indy's unhoused neighbors! Please reach out to us at safeparkindy@gmail.com with any questions or comments. Thank you for supporting our unhoused neighbors.

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Leadership and Staff

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Eileen White,
Executive Director 

Eileen is an epidemiologist and nurse who has spent much of her career using clinical knowledge to impact public health. She has a passion for developing programs and systems of care to improve the health of communities.

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Megan Stuart,
Board Member

Megan is a legal aid attorney providing direct services and advocacy for low-income, homeless, politically unpopular, and over-criminalized clients. 

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Monica Miller,
Board Member

Monica is a pharmacist and clinical professor at Purdue University. She travels the world to lead global public health initiatives.

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Emily Wachner, 
Board Member

Emily is a Yale-educated Episcopal priest and current medical student. She's passionate about women's health and providing healthcare to the unhoused.

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Keri Hughes,
Board Member

Keri is a former director of fair housing and founder of Plaid and Pearls Coffee Lounge. She also serves on the event planning team for the Indy Black Professionals. 

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Teresa Greenwood, 
Board Member

Teresa has many years of professional experience as an outreach worker with local homelessness organizations.

Contact Us

The links to donate, volunteer,  and apply to the program can be found above. If you have additional questions, please contact us below or email safeparkindy@gmail.com.

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©2024 by Safe Park Indy

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