The Evictions Landscape Has Changed
But Indianapolis is still horrible!
When we started advocating for evictions reform in Indianapolis, the Eviction Labs city rankings (2016) showed the highest evicting city for total evictions was New York City. Makes sense - the largest city in the country would have the highest number of total evictions. What didn’t make sense was that Indianapolis was #2. While there was a large disparity between New York and Indianapolis totals, we were still in second place.
Things have changed! In a recent posting by Eviction Labs, Atlanta has eclipsed New York, by a lot! In 2016 Atlanta didn’t even crack the top 15. In the same time period, we’ve dropped to 10th place, but not because evictions have lessened in Indianapolis. They have not and are consistently around 25,000 per year. It’s because the rest of the country has caught up. And just like everywhere else in the country, Black tenants are disproportionately represented in eviction filings.
Here were the rankings in 2016:
In 10 years’ time, Atlanta’s gone from #16 to #1, Phoenix didn’t make the top 15 and now #3, Philadelphia from #4 to #22. Chicago doesn’t even make the list anymore.
“Indiana delivers what landlords need most: speed, clarity, and minimal interference. The state’s legal framework is designed to protect property owners, not complicate their operations. You won’t find surprise regulations that suddenly change the economics of your investments. You won’t spend months stuck in eviction court. And you won’t deal with rent control policies that limit your ability to adjust pricing as costs rise.”
What’s the cause? One correlation is private equity investing in real estate. As shown on the Private Equity Risk Index website, Georgia, Arizona, Texas, Nevada, Tennessee, and Florida are all ranked Very High Risk. These risk scores are based on private equity activity in labor, healthcare, housing, and pensions. The top scoring states for housing risks are Georgia, Arizona, and Nevada. Indiana ranks 19th in housing and 15th overall. How long will it take for us to break the top 10? Indiana, Ohio, Virginia, and South Carolina are all rated High Risk.
Private equity isn’t the only problem in Indiana. Our severe affordable housing shortage and lack of any enforceable tenant protection laws certainly contribute. And the housing shortage and lack of tenant protection laws directly contribute to the influx of private equity purchases. We know from court watching that slowing down the evictions process is paramount. Private equity landlords depend on the ease and speed of processing a tenant from filing to eviction.
In this June 2025 blog post from Steadily entitled Why Indiana is one of the most landlord-friendly states in 2026, the author states, “Bottom Line: Indiana Delivers Flexibility, Enforcement, And Low Friction. Indiana’s fast evictions, minimal regulation, and supportive legal structure make it one of the most efficient and reliable markets for landlords. From student rentals to long-term tenants, the state gives property owners the tools to operate profitably and with peace of mind.”
“Indiana delivers what landlords need most: speed, clarity, and minimal interference. The state's legal framework is designed to protect property owners, not complicate their operations. You won't find surprise regulations that suddenly change the economics of your investments. You won't spend months stuck in eviction court. And you won't deal with rent control policies that limit your ability to adjust pricing as costs rise.”
Not a ringing endorsement of our state.
