BLOOMINGTON — Monroe County officials are taking initial legal steps to clear a long-standing encampment on the county-owned Thomson “power line” property off Rogers Street, citing safety concerns and an influx of service calls.
During their regular meeting on Thursday, July 23, Monroe County Commissioners Julie Thomas and Jody Madeira authorized County Attorney Jeff Cockerill to post formal eviction notices before their next scheduled session if necessary. The authorization comes as the board faces two weeks without a full meeting.
Cockerill informed commissioners that local law enforcement views the site as an escalating public safety hazard.
While county commissioners intend to offer residents a 30-day courtesy period to vacate the property, recent legislative changes have complicated the exact timeline.
Earlier this year, the county removed its formal policy requiring a guaranteed 30-day notice to avoid conflicting with a new Indiana state law that took effect on July 1, 2026. Under the new statute:
- Law Enforcement Warning: An officer must issue an explicit warning to anyone camping, sleeping, or maintaining long-term shelter on property owned by a political subdivision.
- 48-Hour Deadline: Individuals who fail to clear the site within 48 hours of receiving a warning can be charged with a Class C misdemeanor.
While commissioners can choose to give a longer grace period as landowners, they cannot legally restrict Monroe County Sheriff Ruben Marté from enforcing state law if he deems immediate intervention necessary. Official notices posted at the property will outline the planned 30-day window while explicitly noting that state law enforcement powers remain active.
To assess the current population at the encampment, commissioners are proposing a $150,000 drone purchase with cameras as part of their annual general obligation bond request. The drones would monitor the site and surrounding acreage. The full proposal goes before the Monroe County Council at 5 p.m. on Tuesday, July 28.
For encampment residents, the threat of eviction means preparing to relocate once again, this time using a mobile app to verify property lines and avoid swift municipal sweeps. The camp’s current population had dropped to around 15 people, down from 30 earlier this year.
Despite qualifying for assistance, many encampment residents remain trapped in a cycle of housing displacement driven by structural entry barriers, like housing assessment scores, rental and credit history scores, and criminal records.
As local officials finalize enforcement logistics and drone monitoring requests, residents at the Thomson site are left searching for alternatives in a regional housing market where long-term placement remains out of reach.
