Safe Park Indy

04/22/2026

“What a dumb idea! These lots are just gonna turn into drug dens full of criminals.”

That’s a real comment someone left about our program.

But our safety record speaks for itself. We’ve had ZERO safety incidents. Zero. Zip. Zilch.

And still, the myth persists that people experiencing homelessness are dangerous. Because it’s easier to believe “they” are different from us — reckless, irresponsible, beyond help.

But most of the people we serve look a lot like you and me: they’ve been to college, they’re working, they have no criminal record. They’re teachers, social workers, people who did everything “right”… and still couldn’t make the math work when some financial crisis hit.

And even for those who’ve made mistakes — well, who among us hasn’t?

Safe Park Indy meets our clients with dignity and kindness. With a little bit of help and a soft place to land, we can hopefully make this hard moment in their life just a blip on the radar.

To learn how to help and be part of the solution, or to get help and apply for a spot, visit safeparkindy.org.

04/20/2026

Homelessness is increasingly impacting people in mid-life and beyond. Many of the people we serve are in their 40s, 50s, and 60s — and some are in their 70s and 80s. These are individuals who have worked hard their entire lives, yet still find themselves unable to make ends meet or afford stable housing.

To apply to the program, learn how to get involved, or donate, visit safeparkindy.org. 🚙❤️🚙❤️

04/13/2026

We’re on a mission to raise $3,000 to cover the start-up costs for our first three lots, which will provide safe, legal overnight parking and supportive services to homeless Hoosiers living in their cars.

This will pay for portable restroom rentals; supply cabinets and the hygiene, food, safety and comfort items we stock in them; liability insurance, client background checks, and gas gift cards.

We don’t receive any grants or government funding, so we rely on generous individual donations to exist.

You can donate directly via

04/10/2026

Most of the people we serve are experiencing homelessness for the first time, and they’ve only been in it for a matter of months. For 63% of them, Safe Park Indy is the very first place they reached out to for help.

In other words, the situation that they’re in is a huge shock to them — and not a situation they ever expected to be in.

We (and other safe parking programs) are catching people at the earliest, most fragile moment of housing instability. With a little support, we can prevent these folks from slipping into chronic homelessness, making this hard time a blip on their life’s radar and not a forever condition.

To apply to the program, learn how to get involved, or donate, visit safeparkindy.org. 🚙❤️🚙❤️

04/08/2026

We want you to get to know the people we serve — because chances are, they’re not who you think.

The majority of our clients are working.
More than half have attended college.

They’re doing what they’re supposed to do… and still, they’re sleeping in their cars due to homelessness.

Over the next few days, we’ll be sharing more about who our clients are — and busting some myths and stereotypes — to help make visible a kind of homelessness that too often goes unseen.

To apply to the program, learn how to get involved, or donate, visit safeparkindy.org. 🚙❤️🚙❤️

04/06/2026

Thank you Mirror Indy for covering our relaunch!

What started as an experiment — bringing a new homelessness harm reduction model to Indianapolis — proved something powerful: it works! In our pilot year, we provided a safe, legal place for people living in their cars to sleep, along with food, hygiene, and comfort items… and we did it with zero safety incidents.

Need a safe place to stay? Applications are now live on our website.

To apply to the program, learn how to get involved, or donate, visit safeparkindy.org. 🚙❤️🚙❤️

https://mirrorindy.org/indianapolis-homeless-nonprofit-safe-park-indy-return/

Applications are open online. The parking lot will open by June 1, 2026.

04/04/2026

Safe Park Indy is unusually inexpensive for a homelessness intervention model — but we still have costs to cover, like:

🥪 Food and snacks
🧼 Basic hygiene, comfort and safety supplies
🚽 Portable restrooms
📄 Liability insurance

We’re 100% powered by individual donations from people who believe everyone deserves a safe place to rest.

As we prepare to open our first lots on June 1, your support makes this possible.

If you’ve been looking for a way to make a direct, immediate impact—this is it. You can donate directly or shop our wishlist here:
https://www.safeparkindy.org/donate

04/02/2026

We’re proud to have a very boring safety record. 💁🏻‍♀️

In our first year of operations, we had zero safety incidents. No drug use. No violence. No vandalism. No threats. Not even litter.

Safe parking might sound unconventional, but both nationwide and right here in Indy, it’s proven to be a safe, effective solution for clients, host sites, and surrounding neighborhoods.

To apply to the program, learn how to get involved, or donate, visit safeparkindy.org. 🚙❤️🚙❤️

03/30/2026

Meet a former Safe Park Indy client, Tyler. Tyler came to us at a low point in his life: he had just lost his his job and didn’t have anyone to turn to for help.

During the day, he worked on his resume at the library and hunted for jobs. And at night, he found community, safety and comfort with us.

We’re happy to say Tyler is in stable housing now and working a job he loves — and in his spare time, he’s generous enough to be an advocate for others needing help.

To apply to the program, learn how to get involved, or donate, visit safeparkindy.org. 🚙❤️🚙❤️



🚙❤️🚙❤️

03/29/2026

We may be Indiana’s first safe parking program—but the model itself has been around for more than 20 years.

It started on the West Coast, where you’ll now find dozens of programs, and it’s steadily spread across the country. (If you’re curious, vehicleresidency.org keeps a running state-by-state list.)

What once sounded a little outside-the-box now feels like an obvious solution: use empty parking lots overnight to give people living in their vehicles a safe, legal place to rest.

And it works.

Safe parking has proven to be a safe, effective, and deeply human response to vehicular homelessness—and we’re proud to be the first (and so far only) organization to bring it to Indiana.

To apply to the program, learn how to get involved, or donate, visit safeparkindy.org. 🚙❤️🚙❤️

03/28/2026

The Greater Indianapolis Multifaith Alliance highlighted our client demographic data — believed to be the first data in the state on the vehicular homeless. It shatters so many stereotypes people hold about those experiencing homelessness and reminds us that, particularly in today’s economic conditions, almost all of us are just a few unfortunate disasters away from not having a roof over our heads. Homelessness can happen to anyone. It’s not a character flaw. It’s not laziness. It’s not a moral failing.

To apply to the program, learn how to get involved, or donate, visit safeparkindy.org. 🚙❤️🚙❤️

https://www.indymultifaith.org/blog/vehicular-homelessness-demographics

This report was originally produced and published by Safe Park Indy. Below is a bit of background on the program from founder, Elizabeth Friedland. We’re excited to share that after a pause to thoughtfully re-engineer our model, Safe Park Indy has officially relaunched and will begin welcoming hom

03/27/2026

Thank you, WRTV, for covering our re-launch! After a successful pilot year helping dozens of homeless Hoosiers living in their cars — and after proudly operating with zero safety incidents in any of our lots — we’re thrilled to begin welcoming clients again on June 1. Visit safeparkindy.org to apply to the program or learn more.

https://www.wrtv.com/news/local-news/in-your-community/downtown-indy/safe-park-indy-relaunches-set-to-welcome-clients-june-1

Safe Park Indy is the state’s first and only formal safe parking program. After a year hiatus to refine their approach, the program is relaunching and welcoming clients to their new lot on June 1.