Housing Issues
Conway transitional housing program to start in late 2023
Phillip Fletcher knew he had to start working on a transitional housing program in Conway after his friend Gary Harrison died in January 2016. Fletcher is the executive director of City of Hope Outreach, a community development organization he founded in 2007. Harrison lived in a trailer with a roommate, and they had a portable […]
House owned by landlord previously sued by AG no longer risks tenants’ life and safety, lawyer says
The house on West 24th Street in Little Rock where Terry Lauderdale and his two roommates live has had its problems since they moved in almost a year ago, he said. What caused the most distress for the tenants and caught the attention of city code inspectors was exposed electrical wiring. “A puppy bit into […]
Voters embraced affordable housing initiatives. Advocates say Congress should do the same.
Voters in Colorado approved a statewide affordable housing initiative in November, while voters in nine cities across the country OK’d measures to finance the construction of affordable housing, preserve existing rental properties and support renters. But as housing costs soar, analysts and advocates say more needs to be done and argue that federal action is […]
The Fed hiked interest rates for the 7th time this year, so why are mortgage rates coming down?
The Federal Reserve raised interest rates by half a percentage point on Dec. 14, 2022, to a range of 4.25 to 4.5%, the seventh increase this year. So far in 2022, the Fed has lifted its benchmark short-term rate, which influences most other borrowing costs in the economy, by 4.25 percentage points from a low […]
State settles 2019 lawsuit against Pulaski County landlord over health, safety risks
This brief has been updated at 2:15 p.m. on Dec. 8, 2022, with additional information about the settlement. The Arkansas Attorney General’s Office settled a lawsuit against a Little Rock and North Little Rock landlord in September, prohibiting the individual and his company from leasing units that risk the health and safety of the tenants. […]
The nation’s vacant homes present an opportunity — and a problem
With construction costs for new homes and interest rates soaring, vacant housing is drawing more attention as a shortcut to quickly getting more units on the market. But whether vacant homes are a curse or an opportunity depends on where you live. As housing affordability plummets and rents rise, putting more families with low incomes at risk […]
North Little Rock renters fed up with poor living conditions
NORTH LITTLE ROCK — Moving out of a black mold-infested apartment and into a safer one was literally and figuratively a breath of fresh air for Daffany Payne and her seven children, she said Tuesday. However, Payne received a bill for $4,000 worth of repairs at her previous apartment, putting her in debt for problems […]
Real estate tech company faces scrutiny over alleged collusion with landlords on rent
A Texas-based real estate tech company is facing a new barrage of questions about whether its software is helping landlords coordinate rental pricing in violation of antitrust laws. Seventeen Democratic members of the U.S. House of Representatives sent a letter Monday to the Department of Justice and the Federal Trade Commission asking the agencies to […]
Little Rock housing complex facing AG lawsuit might file to evict some tenants
Seven units at a Little Rock apartment complex still have unresolved safety issues after three months because management hasn’t been able to gain access to those apartments, the attorney representing the complex said Monday in city environmental court. Big Country Chateau will return to court Nov. 28, its fifth scheduled appearance, to address multiple city […]
Little Rock housing complex facing AG lawsuit set to go to city court Monday
Management of a housing complex on Colonel Glenn Road is scheduled for a Little Rock environmental court hearing Monday after multiple delays. Big Country Chateau faces several city code violations for unsafe and unhealthy living conditions, including mold, broken windows and scattered trash. Tenants have said that management often has not responded to maintenance requests […]
4 takeaways on housing ahead of inflation report
Housing costs, including rental prices, are on the path to stabilizing but evidence of this won’t show up in inflation measures anytime soon, economists say. The latest Consumer Price Index numbers, which are used to measure inflation, come out on Thursday morning. But the survey used to measure shelter, a large component of inflation, lags […]
Racism, reproductive rights, inflation top concerns for voters of color
Leaders from six national racial justice organizations presented polling data they’ve conducted that shows widespread concern about racism, reproductive rights and eroding economic stability, while also suggesting that voters are increasingly concerned that leaders from both political parties are becoming more out of touch with the realities they face. The data presented by the Advancement […]