Thumbs down: Keeping track
by Editors
The number of abandoned houses in Indianapolis is believed to be growing, but no one seems to know how many there really are. The last survey of vacant houses was in 2003, by Ball State University. It found 7,913 houses, 58 percent of which were located in Center Township. But that was before the housing bubble burst and foreclosures spiked. Last year, the city demolished 206 abandoned houses. So far this year, the city has torn down 108, with plans to take another 74. It costs the city between $4,800 and $8,000 to tear down a house.
