Anita Burks was one of the early risers at a homeless encampment in Fountain Square on a recent July morning.
She was out walking with her dog, Stormy, named for the touch of orange in his fur that Burks said looks like a perfect storm.
Burks, 55, is part of a growing homeless encampment lining Leonard Street.
There’s constant noise coming from the hum of highway traffic behind their tents. And on the other side of their community, directly across the street, there’s a reminder of what they don’t have: homes.
“You feel forgotten,” Burks said. “You feel like you’re a part of the trash that people take out. The way you’re looked at, the way you’re dumped on, the way people treat you.”
The encampment’s proximity to housed residents in Fountain Square has created tension.
One resident told WTHR she’s trying to sell her home because she’s been threatened and had rocks thrown at her house.
Burks, who’s been living at the encampment for a couple of months, blames what she and others call “street people.” They tend to be younger, she said, and looking for trouble.
Even those living at the encampment feel the effect.
Burks said it’s common for tents to be robbed overnight. It’s happened to her, too.
Still, when Mirror Indy visited the encampment on a humid morning, people living there said they try to keep a sense of community by helping each other. And, they said, they want to push back against the idea that they’re a nuisance to those who live nearby.
“We don’t want to be hungry,” Burks said. “We don’t want to be dehydrated.”
‘It’s hard to stay positive out here’
There were signs of community and generosity as Burks walked through the encampment.
Some were cleaning up as a garbage truck stopped to empty trash cans. One man was repairing Burks’ tent because the zipper broke. A few people had already left for the day, taking their work tools to go find odd jobs for money.
Still, mental illness is common in the encampment, Burks said, and the constant stress makes it hard to not give into the temptation of using drugs.
“You want to give up,” Burks said.
Down the road from Burks’ tent, Tyler Pack was lying on his back in his tent. His spot along the encampment put him in direct heat from the sunlight.
Pack, 24, said he’s been living in the encampment for about two months, and he’s been homeless for two years. He’s gotten familiar with the stereotypes.
“Everyone thinks homeless people are on drugs,” he said. “It’s hard to stay positive out here.”
But there are ways to stay upbeat, Pack said. For that, he helps others and listens to music. His favorite band is the rock group Evanescence.
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Mirror Indy reporter Tyler Fenwick covers housing and labor. Contact him at 317-766-1406 or tyler.fenwick@mirrorindy.org. Follow him on X @ty_fenwick and Bluesky @tyfenwick.bsky.social.
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