Meet the candidate for City-County Council District 15

Democrat La Keisha Jackson is running unopposed for Indianapolis City-County Council in District 15. Jackson is an incumbent council member representing District 14, but following redistricting, she is now running in District 15. This district covers parts of Indianapolis’ Far Eastside.

Jackson, 49, was first elected to the council in 2014. She is also the CEO at Pathway Resource Center, Inc.

WFYI and the Indianapolis Recorder sent Jackson six survey questions to help voters learn about her goals. Her answers are below. 

Editors' note: Responses were edited for style and grammar, and any numbers used were checked for accuracy. When a statement required more clarification or could not be independently verified, WFYI reached out to candidates before publication. Those instances, and those candidate responses, are noted throughout in editors’ notes, marked by an * and presented in italics.

Early voting opened Oct. 11. Election Day is Nov. 7. 

LA KEISHA JACKSON

What are the top concerns that your district’s constituents have shared with you, and what are the issues that you foresee affecting them most in the next two to three years?  

The top concerns that constituents have shared with me in my district are the following: economic development, gun violence, infrastructure, limited access to fresh, healthy food (food desert), transportation barriers, and bad landlords.

I share the same concerns as my constituents, and I see them all being relevant issues in the next 2-3 years. I am committed to bringing infrastructure dollars to the Far Eastside because people in District 15 deserve to have better road conditions. Most recently, I was proud to work with my colleagues to approve $25 million for residential resurfacing for 2024. This funding pushes the total to more than $100 million invested in residential streets since 2022.

I am committed to continuing to work with my colleagues, the mayor’s administration, and community members to continue to address these issues.

Constituents on the Far Eastside continue to experience transportation barriers, which is why I am a proud advocate of public transit and IndyGo. I worked closely with IndyGo to launch a micro-transit program in partnership with Pathway Resource Center Indianapolis, which connects residents to opportunities and resources they otherwise would not have access to without transportation.

Affordable housing is a major issue in Indianapolis. What measures should the council take to address this?

The council should prioritize policy and funding for affordable housing as it has been over the past couple of years. Additionally, the council should research the best practices of other major cities compared to Indianapolis to see what additional best practices and innovative changes can be implemented to address using more creative funding and partnerships.

On January 9, 2023, the Council approved several new projects* with a new investment policy to create and preserve affordable housing throughout the county.

*Editors’ note: You can read more here.

This new policy allows multi-unit housing developers who receive investments through Tax Increment Financing (TIF) bonds to make payments to the Housing Trust Fund in lieu of committing to certain percentages of affordable units.

The Housing Trust Fund is used to create and preserve affordable housing throughout the county.

The Council approves funding for agencies that offer numerous housing affordability resources, such as:

• The Tenant Advocacy Project (TAP) - Provides attorneys and tenant navigators in township small claims courts, who offer legal advice to tenants with eviction case hearings.
• Tenant Legal Assistance Project (TLAP) - Connects tenants who believe their rights to safe, habitable rental units have been violated with pro bono legal advice.
• Eviction Avoidance Project (EAP) - Tenants who are facing eviction and need legal assistance may be referred to EAP, which offers in-court legal representation to tenants.*

*Editors’ note: The information and language in this section was also included in a response from City-County Councilor Dan Boots. 

What is your top concern regarding public safety in Indianapolis? What steps will you take as a council member to address it?

My top concern regarding public safety in Indianapolis is that residents, visitors, and business owners are safe. It is critical we address gun violence as it continues to take a toll on our city and creates generational trauma. That is why I supported a gun safety measures proposal that upon state preemption will end permitless and concealed carry, raise the age to purchase a gun to 21, and propose a ban on semi-automatic weapons. These measures will only take effect if changes are made on the state level, and I will work closely with state legislatures to advocate for my constituents. On a local level, I will continue to work with community partners and leaders to address the root causes of gun violence.

Another top concern is bridging the gap between the community and law enforcement. In 2020, I voted in support of voting to reform two police oversight boards to include a civilian majority: the Use of Force Review Board and the General Orders Board. In October 2020, I also supported IMPD’s policy change, allowing the board to review all types of force on the Use of Force Review Board and not just incidents involving firearms. I am committed to being an advocate for transparency and accountability.

What specific steps will you take to address environmental concerns in your district that affect your constituents’ quality of life and life expectancy? 

I have already taken steps and will continue to address environmental concerns in my council district that affect my constituents’ quality of life expectancy. For example I co-sponsored an ordinance that supports environmental protection around protecting our city’s forestry and environmental sustainability. I also participate in neighborhood cleanups and tree-planting events in my council districts. In addition, I am working with community groups, leaders, stakeholders, and residents to ensure there is an updated quality of life plan that reflects the vision and direction of the community as well as the wants and needs.

Data shows that parks increase the quality of life of residents and add value to neighborhoods. In 2023, Indy Parks had a groundbreaking ceremony for over a $12 million project to include an environmental education center (that can be used for training, rental, study of the nature and more) and major park updates at Grassy Creek Regional Park. This is a project that myself and residents in my council district have been advocating for the development of for years.

What specific steps will you take to connect minority-owned businesses in Indianapolis with contracts for city projects? How else will you support growth opportunities for minority-owned businesses? 

I was also proud to work closely with the Capital Improvement Board of Managers of Marion County to implement an XBE mentorship program,* which connects minority-owned businesses with larger firms so that they can work together on major construction projects in the city.

*Editors’ note: The candidate said this work is included in the CIB’s budget. 

I will continue to advocate and be a voice for minority-owned businesses by connecting them to contracts, helping them register with the city, and supporting events and outreach efforts to minority-owned businesses. I will also share contract opportunities on social media and by word-of-mouth.

What would you like to see happen for K-12 education in Indianapolis, and how would you work as a city-county councilor to achieve that? 

I would like for there to be a more equitable funding process and additional allocation of resources for students and families for K-12 education in Indianapolis. I think this will help close the achievement gap. There are fundamental tools, resources, and funding missing. We expect students to perform at the same level under different conditions without the vital support, funding, tools, and resources to do so. While funding is not done on a local level, as a Council member, I will advocate to the State every opportunity that I get. I also will work with the schools because they have the expectations for their Councillor to be a voice and advocate. There may not be policy changes that the Council can do on a local level because that too is State governance when it comes to education. However, I do believe there are tools and additional resources that can be implemented on a local level with support from the State. For example, programs and resources to support students and their families around mental health and wellness, and innovative learning programs through community partners that reduce crime and provide crime prevention. These are just a couple that with support from the State can be done and implemented on a local level.