FORT WAYNE, Ind. (WOWO) — The City of Fort Wayne has issued cease-and-desist letters to two Central Indiana mental health treatment centers accused of paying ride-share companies to transport homeless individuals to Fort Wayne.
According to the City of Fort Wayne, the treatment centers responsible for transporting patients to Fort Wayne are Hendricks Behavioral Hospital in Plainfield, Indiana and Ethan Crossing of Indianapolis.
The city adopted an ordinance in late March that prohibits organizations from bringing homeless people from other communities and dropping them off in Fort Wayne.
Councilman Russ Jehl said in an interview with Kayla Blakeslee on Fort Wayne’s Morning News, “It is one of the few things that they [the Tucker administration] have focused on when it comes to enforcement and to be a deterrence…for communities to say, okay, let’s take those that are chronically homeless and send them to Fort Wayne.”
City officials said the treatment centers paid ride-share drivers to transport homeless individuals more than 100 miles before dropping them off at the Fort Wayne Rescue Mission.
The city sent a total of three cease-and-desist letters — two to one provider and one to a second provider. Officials say two citations have already been filed against the first provider, while another citation is being pursued against the second.
Each citation carries a civil penalty of $2,500.
The enforcement action comes as city leaders continue discussions about homelessness and plans for a new homeless resource center in downtown Fort Wayne.
“The administration has not told council whether they consider it legally, to require the zoning of the shelter or something different, but shelter would require an additional step,” Jehl said. “It does require an additional 45 to 90 day vetting and voting process.”
The proposed center, planned for 333 E. Washington Blvd., has generated public debate in recent months. City officials have said the property is worth more than the more than $2 million purchase price but have not yet released documentation supporting that claim.
When asked Wednesday for copies of property assessments for the site, the city said it is still compiling the requested information.
