The Indianapolis experience simply does not bear that out. The greatest problem will be nighttime noise. Many residents of neighborhoods as close to Indianapolis International Airport as north High Point neighborhoods are to Piedmont Triad International Airport say they can live with the din of jet engines roaring overhead, that they have adjusted to it. But a thousand of the nearest homes have been abandoned, purchased by the airport. Others have undergone soundproofing.
Some homes qualify for a program that pays owners for lost property value when they sell privately.
Some have been bought by the airport and resold to willing buyers. These steps have been taken without a great deal of acrimony despite a few lawsuits filed and settled over the years because the airport authority in Indianapolis for the most part has been fair and open with nearby residents. It has set clear guidelines for corrective action in cases of noise problems. Residents know which houses qualify for buyouts, which for soundproofing, and so on. In some instances, if soundproofing isn t effective, the airport offers to purchase the home.