General Questions
Why can’t I report animal, backups and traffic light outage requests online?
Why do I always need to provide such a specific address when reporting a problem or requesting a service?
Abandon Vehicles
What do I need to provide to the MAC to report an abandon vehicle?
Abandon, Vacant and Unsafe Buildings
There is an unsafe or vacant/abandon building next to me that needs to be boarded up and eventually demolished. Who do I call?
Animals
I have been threatened or bit by a dog. What do I do?
How do I report animals that are stray or abandoned, sick or injured, not receiving proper care, aggressive or dangerous, attacking or biting, or barking?
I found an injured or baby wild animal, who can help?
I’d like to know more about the animal shelter operations, volunteering, and how to surrender or adopt a pet.
Potholes
How do I report potholes?
Trash and Illegal Dumping
My trash wasn’t picked up today, but all of my neighbor’s trash was picked up. What can I do?
What is my heavy trash pickup day?
There is trash and illegal dumping:
a.In the alley
b.In a vacant lot next to my house
c.In the roadway
d.On the sidewalk
I’d like for someone to come and clean it up. What do I do?
Signs/Street Signs/Traffic Lights
There is a street sign down and a traffic light out, what do I do?
Smoke Free Indianapolis
I was visiting an Indianapolis restaurant and there were people smoking. I thought Indianapolis restaurants were smoke free. How do I report this?
Streetlights
There is a streetlight out and I’d like to report it to get fixed.
High Weeds and Grass
Why are the weeds in the public right of way, along roadsides and in the medians so high?
What is High Weeds & Grass?
What types of High Weeds & Grass issues does the Office of Code Enforcement (OCE) abate?
Why are High Weeds and Grass problematic?
How do I report High Weeds & Grass?
What is the High Weeds & Grass (HWG) Abatement Process?
Snow/Ice
When will my street be plowed?
Social, Mental Health and Financial
Due to the economy or other life changing events, I need extra help with paying bills, buying food, taking care of my children or receiving health care. Who do I call?
I want to apply for food stamps or unemployment. Can the Mayor help me?
Recycling and Toxic Materials Disposal Services
I’d like to sign up for recycling. Who do I contact?
I have toxic materials that I want to have disposed of and I understand that I cannot put this in my regular trash. What should I do?
Leaves
I know that the city picks up leaves, but I want to burn them in my back yard. Is this ok?
What are the rules around leaf pickup in Marion County?
Courts
I just received a traffic ticket. Can I pay it online?
Zoning Violations
I want to report one of the following:
•A business in a residential neighborhood
•Construction without a permit
•Inappropriate placement of signs and advertising
•Multiple motor vehicles being sold on a lot or on private property
•Too many cars being parked in a small area (insufficient parking)
Drainage/Flooding/Ponding
There is ponding on my property causing drainage issues. Can the city fix this?
There has been a lot of rain and there is flooding in my area. Who do I call?
Why can’t I report animal, backups and traffic light outage requests online?
Answer: In order for your requests to be handled in a timely manner, and to ensure that problems that have a public safety impact are addressed quickly, these requests are better handled by talking to a live person. Please call the Mayor’s Action Center at 327-4622 (4MAC) or 9-1-1 if it is an emergency. Go to Top
Why do I always need to provide such a specific address when reporting a problem or requesting a service?
Answer: The City’s service request and work order systems are based on valid addresses. The City crews need to be dispatched to a location and the computer systems that prepare the work orders will only accept a service request with a valid address. Go to Top
What do I need to provide to the MAC to report an abandon vehicle?
Answer: When you call 327-4622, you will need to provide exact location and description of the vehicle, including if you have it, the make, model and color, and license plate number if there is one. Also, note if there are broken windows or flat tires. The problem will be assigned a service request tracking number, and the request will be forwarded to the City's Abandoned Vehicle Contractor. The Contractor will then check on the reported vehicle. For more information on abandon vehicles, please visit: http://www.indy.gov/eGov/City/DPW/Residential/Vehicles/Pages/home.aspx.
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There is an unsafe or vacant/abandon building next to me that needs to be boarded up and eventually demolished. Who do I call?
Answer: To report an unsafe or vacant/abandon building, call the Health and Hospital Corporation at 317.221.2143. Go to Top
I have been threatened or bit by a dog. What do I do?
Answer: The Department of Public Safety stresses that if you feel your life is in danger or if you have been bitten by an animal, you should immediately call 911 for assistance. It does not matter what day of the week, or what time during the day this may occur, if you feel threatened or have been attacked you need to contact 911 immediately, no matter what. If the issue is not life threatening, you are encouraged to contact The Mayor's Action Center as it serves as the customer service center for Animal Care and Control. You can call 327-4MAC (327-4622) and report all animal concerns. If for whatever reason you were to contact the MAC in an emergency situation, the MAC would contact ACC Dispatch immediately for you. If you call the MAC number after hours or on weekends, you are given an option to press a button that connects you directly to ACC Dispatch or the Indianapolis Police Department, depending on the time of day or the weekend. Go to Top
How do I report animals that are stray or abandoned, sick or injured, not receiving proper care, aggressive or dangerous, attacking or biting, or barking?
Answer: If you live within Marion County, please call the Mayor's Action Center at 317.327.4622, 7:30am-5:30pm, Monday through Friday for service requests or information. For after hour emergencies including sick/injured animals, dangerous and aggressive animals and animal attacks in progress, please call 9-1-1.
To report nuisance wildlife please call the Indiana Department of Natural Resources at 317.232.4010.
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I found an injured or baby wild animal, who can help?
Answer: Every spring thousands of animals are born in the wild. With more and more suburban areas, young animals are increasingly born near humans and discovered without an adult animal nearby. Well-meaning people can upset the course of nature by taking young animals from their nests. Removing wildlife from its environment is prohibited by state regulations without proper handling permits. The apparent lack of an adult does not mean a young animal is alone. Adults often leave their young safe in nests or dens while they forage for food but rarely are they abandon. If a young animal is found, leave it alone. The adult will return when the area is clear. The DNR, Division of Fish and Wildlife maintains a list of wildlife rehabilitators who have state or federal permits to care for wild animals. If you find an injured animal, call your local wildlife biologist or Division of Fish and Wildlife's central office at (317) 232-4080 and they will provide you with your local rehabilitator. The DNR, Division of Fish and Wildlife does not care for injured animals or transport them to a rehabilitator. You can also visit http://www.in.gov/dnr/ for information on licensed wildlife rehabilitators. Go to Top
I’d like to know more about the animal shelter operations, volunteering, and how to surrender or adopt a pet.
Answer: Please visit the Animal Care and Control website at: http://www.indy.gov/eGov/City/DPS/ACCD/Pages/home.aspx.
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How do I report potholes?
Answer: You can report potholes online at http://www.indy.gov/eGov/Mayor/Pages/Pothole.aspx or by calling the Mayor’s Action Center at 327-4622. In order for the service request and work order to be generated, an address of the Pothole is required. An address block can be used if specific address is not available. For instance 2100 W 86th St, or 1000 E Washington Street.
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My trash wasn’t picked up today, but all of my neighbor’s trash was picked up. What can I do?
Answer: Trash is not considered missed until after 6:00pm. The trash haulers have until 6:00 pm to complete their trash routes. If your trash has not been picked up, the next business day, call the MAC and they will request an inspector to come out and look at your trash. Keep in mind that if you put your trash out late or there was something unusual about your trash, the crew might not have picked it up for a valid reason. Please look at the trash rules to make sure that you didn’t overlook something and that you are in compliance with the rules: http://www.indy.gov/eGov/City/DPW/Residential/Trash/Pages/home.aspx
If you have additional questions about your missed trash or want to report your missed trash, please call the Mayor’s Action Center at 327-4622 (4MAC).
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What is my heavy trash pickup day?
Answer: Click here for Heavy Trash Pickup schedule http://arcimsnt1.indygov.org/govntprofile/
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There is trash and illegal dumping:
a.In the alley
b.In a vacant lot next to my house
c.In the roadway
d.On the sidewalk
I’d like for someone to come and clean it up. What do I do?
Answer: Call the Mayor’s Action Center at 327-4622. A request for inspection will be generated and an inspector dispatched to the location. If the violation is not on private property, and the site is found in violation, the inspector will schedule a clean-up. Go to Top
There is a street sign down and a traffic light out, what do I do.
Answer: If you need to report an emergency regarding missing or knocked down signs, call 327-4MAC (327-4622). If you are calling after hours, follow the prompts to report a traffic light out with the Department of Public Works Dispatch division. If your report is not an emergency, please call the MAC the next business day. Go to Top
I was visiting an Indianapolis restaurant and there were people smoking. I thought Indianapolis restaurants were smoke free. How do I report this?
Answer: There are eating establishments that allow smoking. To read the Smoke Free Air Ordinance and to file a complaint, please visit: http://www.hhcorp.org/smokingreferral/
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There is a streetlight out and I’d like to report it to get fixed.
Answer: To report a streetlight problem, you must contact Indianapolis Power and Light (IPL). IPL has an online form you can complete to report a problem with a streetlight: http://www.iplpower.com/ipl/index?page=IPLDataForm&Menu=04010000&FormName=StreetLight_Outage_Form&FormStatus=Enter
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Why are the weeds in the public right of way, along roadsides and in the medians so high?
Answer: Public roadways are mowed on a schedule of either 4 or 7 cuts a year beginning 5/1 and end 10/31. Medians are on a schedule of 9 cuts per year beginning 4/27 and end 10/31. It is very likely if the vegetation is high that the area you are looking at will be mowed soon. You can report a public area for mowing by calling the Mayor’s Action Center at 327-4622 (4MAC) Go to Top
What is High Weeds & Grass?
Answer: Vegetation over 12 inches in height is considered High Weeds and Grass. It’s considered a public nuisance and is a violation of Ch. 575 of the City code. Go to Top
What types of High Weeds & Grass issues does the Office of Code Enforcement (OCE) abate?
Answer: OCE abates High Weeds & Grass violations on neglected private property. The Department of Public Works maintains responsibility for High Weeds & Grass in the public right-of-way. Go to Top
Why are High Weeds and Grass problematic?
Answer: High Weeds and Grass is an environmental public nuisance and has a negative effect on public health and safety. Besides being unattractive, High Weeds and Grass can harbor pests and vermin and it can also conceal illegal activities. Go to Top
How do I report High Weeds & Grass?
Answer: Call the Mayor’s Action Center (327-4622). Be prepared to give an exact street address and any details about the property, if possible, such as the color of the house. Go to Top
What is the High Weeds & Grass (HWG) Abatement Process?
Answer: Step 1: Citizen reports HWG to the Mayor’s Action Center.
Step 2: An inspector receives the complaint and will inspect the property.
Step 3: If the inspector determines that High Weeds and Grass exists on a property, a Notice of Violation will be issued.
Step 4: From the date the Notice of Violation is mailed out, the property owner has 5 days to abate their property.
Step 5: A vendor has 5 days to perform a site inspection from the time he receives the request from the city. If the property owner has abated (cut) the property, the vendor documents that the property owner has come into compliance and notified OCE. If the property owner has not abated (cut) the property, the vendor documents (via photography) that the property is still in violation. The vendor will then immediately mow the property, and then the vendor will document that the vendor abated the property. Before and after photos are taken.
Step 6: On a daily basis, the vendor tells the OCE which properties have been mowed and which properties came into voluntary compliance.
Step 7: If a mowing vendor cut the grass, the property owner will receive an invoice for $301 from the City of Indianapolis. That cost includes: administrative fees to run the High Weeds and Grass program (data entry, cost of paper, staffing, technology, etc.) and the vendor cost (labor, transportation, fuel, equipment, etc.)
Step 8: If the property owner does not pay the invoice, then it will be attached to their property tax bill. Go to Top
When will my street be plowed?
Answer: The City of Indianapolis follows specific primary and secondary routes to ensure the maximum number of roads are plowed based. For up-to-date information on snow activities please visit: http://www.indy.gov/eGov/City/DPW/Road/Snow/Pages/home.aspx
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Due to the economy or other life changing events, I need extra help with paying bills, buying food, taking care of my children or receiving health care. Who do I call?
Answer: Indianapolis is serviced by a local organization known as Connect2Help and is accessed by dialing 2-1-1 or 317-926-4357. They are available 24 hours a day/7 days a week and will connect you to the services you need. You can also access them on the web at: http://www.connect2help.org.
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I want to apply for food stamps or unemployment. Can the Mayor help me?
Answer: Food stamps and unemployment insurance benefits are both provided by the state of Indiana through the Family and Social Services Agency (FSSA) and the Department of Workforce Development (DWD). Visit here to see if you qualify for benefits provided through FSSA: http://www.in.gov/qualcheck/. You can also find out about unemployment benefits and employment services through DWD at: http://www.in.gov/dwd/
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I’d like to sign up for recycling. Who do I contact?
Answer: To sign up for curbside recycling, call the MAC at 327-4622(4MAC), Monday through Friday, 7:30 am – 5:30 pm. Go to Top
I have toxic materials that I want to have disposed of and I understand that I cannot put this in my regular trash. What should I do?
Answer: You can drop off your toxic materials at the following locations:
ToxDrop Locations and Hours
Belmont Avenue Collection Facility
2700 S Belmont Ave
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9am- 11am
IMPD Training Facility (located near Superior Court 13)
9049 E. 10th St
1st & 3rd Saturday of each month, 9am- 2pm
Perry Township Government Center
4925 S. Shelby St
2nd & 4th Saturday of each month, 9am- 2pm
For more information on ToxDrop Locations, such as a map to the locations and a list of toxic materials accepted at the site, visit: http://www.indy.gov/eGov/City/DPW/Pages/ToxDrop%20Home%20Page.aspx
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I know that the city picks up leaves, but I want to burn them in my back yard. Is this ok?
Answer: Open burning of leaves is illegal in Indianapolis/Marion County. Go to Top
What are the rules around leaf pickup in Marion County?
Answer: Each year the Department of Public Works conducts an annual leaf collection program. For the month of November you may leave up to 40 bags of leaves each week for pick up. Please visit http://www.indy.gov/eGov/City/DPW/Residential/Trash/Pages/Leaf%20Collection.aspx for detailed information on the Department of Public Works Annual Leaf Collection Program. Go to Top
I just received a traffic ticket. Can I pay it online?
Answer: To pay traffic tickets online visit: https://www.civicnet.net/apps/citizen/traffictickets/
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I want to report one of the following:
•A business in a residential neighborhood
•Construction without a permit
•Inappropriate placement of signs and advertising
•Multiple motor vehicles being sold on a lot or on private property
•Too many cars being parked in a small area (insufficient parking)
Answer: Call the Mayor’s Action Center and 327-4622. A request for inspection will be generated and an inspector will be dispatched to the location to determine if there is a violation. Go to Top
There is ponding on my property causing drainage issues. Can the city fix this?
Answer: Ponding water most often occurs on private property and may be the result of one or more factors. Property owners are responsible for making sure drainage ditches, driveway pipes and drainage easments are free and clear from debris, weeds, high grass, and other objects that will obstruct the flow of water. The city will only address ponding water that is on private property if the ponding is due to the failure of the city's infrastructure. You can call the Mayor’s Action Center to report the issue at 327-4622. A township coordinator will be dispatched to the location and conduct an assessment. If the township coordinator determines that the drainage issue is due to a problem with the city infrastructure, a work order to resolve the problem will be issued. Go to Top
There has been a lot of rain and there is flooding in my area. Who do I call?
Answer: When heavy rains cause flooding in city streets and sidewalks, please notify the Mayor's Action Center (MAC) at 327-4MAC. Flooding can affect many members of the public and may be the result of any combination of problems. In any event, a township coordinator will inspect the area and determine the necessary solution. If the city sewers are clogged or blocked with debris, the coordinator will ask a city contractor to address the problem.
However, some areas flood because one or more property owners have failed to maintain drainage ditches and driveway pipes. Property owners are responsible for making sure that their drainage ditches allow water to flow. They are also responsible for making sure their driveway pipes are clear of debris and are in proper working order. In severe flooding cases, the city may complete roadside ditching or other maintenance to prevent standing water from corroding city streets and sidewalks. However, if water is ponding on private property and it is not affecting the city's assets, the city will not take corrective measures to improve private property. Go to Top