It was 90 degrees outside when Kiera Johnson finished the mile walk from an eastside park to her makeshift home in the woods.
She had no time to rest, though.
Johnson, wearing flip-flops, got to work clearing an abandoned site deep in the trees. Her boyfriend, Jeff Harris, started a fire to keep bugs away.
Both had beads of sweat rolling down their faces. It was a sign of what they said has felt like an unusually hot summer in Indianapolis — maybe the worst in the five years they’ve been homeless.
“You learn how strong a body is,” Johnson said July 15 as she moved pieces of styrofoam and other debris.
At the park, Johnson and Harris were able to cool off and take a shower. As of July 16, the average daily high was 89 degrees, which would make this the hottest July in Indy since 2012.
Parks and libraries serve as cooling centers during the summer, giving people a chance to escape the heat. But they aren’t always open, and they aren’t available overnight.
Johnson said she can feel the judgment from park visitors staring at her.
“You don’t want people to look at you all weird,” she said.
The city of Indianapolis recently floated the idea of opening a temporary shelter when it’s extremely hot, which would add another option for those living outside seeking relief from the heat. It would be in line with what the city does during the winter.
But that hasn’t happened yet.
Other Midwest cities, including Chicago, offer air-conditioned shelter during the days and nights for those experiencing homelessness.
‘No formal plans’ for summer shelter
During the winter, the city’s Office of Public Health and Safety is in charge of making sure people living outside have a place to go when it’s cold.
That plan, called winter contingency, included a shelter space in a westside church that would open only when the temperature was 25 degrees or colder.
The office’s director, Andrew Merkley, told Mirror Indy in November that the shelter was a pilot for a broader “weather contingency” plan that could be open for other kinds of extreme weather.
Eight months later, there isn’t a plan.
“OPHS continues to look at ways to best support our unhoused neighbors throughout the year — outside of the winter months,” an office spokesperson said in an emailed statement. “Currently, there are no formal plans for a weather contingent plan for the summer months.”
Merkley declined an interview request.
The statement said people should use cooling centers at libraries and parks.
How to stay cool? ‘Find a patch of shade.’
Bryanna crossed East 10th Street and immediately veered toward a strip of shade coming down from a small church.
“It’s f—ing miserable,” she said.
Bryanna, 29, has been homeless for about two years. She offers to mow grass and do other odd jobs for money.
As for staying cool on the hottest summer days, Bryanna said there aren’t many real options.
“Find a patch of shade,” she said, “until we’re told we can’t sit there anymore.”
Back at Johnson’s camp, it was time to move.
The nearby patch of woods where she was staying with Harris didn’t feel secluded enough. After clearing the abandoned site, there were a lot of things to haul, including three tents they fashioned into one big living area.
“You become very creative out here,” Johnson said.
Johnson, 37, and Harris, 30, have grown closer during their time outside. They count on each other to survive.
Harris is able to make some money working on gutters and said he still feels young and energetic.
Walking out from the woods, though, the midday sun loomed.
“It’s tiring,” he said, “being out here homeless.”
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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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