housing
White House keys in on mayors and mayors-elect for D.C. forum on federal funding
WASHINGTON — Mayors from throughout the United States will sit down with senior Biden administration officials Friday for a half-day forum on how their cities can access resources within the COVID-19 aid bill, bipartisan infrastructure law and Democrats’ signature health care and climate change package known as the Inflation Reduction Act. The meetings, which will […]
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 […]
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 […]
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 […]
Little Rock housing complex facing AG lawsuit pleads no contest to city code violations
Management of a housing complex facing a state lawsuit pleaded no contest to several city code violations Monday in Little Rock environmental court. Sylvester Smith, the attorney representing Big Country Chateau, said about 90% of the “life and safety issues” at the complex have been resolved. The issues include mold, broken windows, scattered garbage and […]
Little Rock housing authority failed to follow spending and contracting rules, HUD finds
Little Rock’s public housing agency routinely failed to comply with federal, state and its own purchasing rules, according to a report from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. HUD’s Departmental Enforcement Center reviewed samples of two and a half years of contracts and financial documents from the Housing Authority of the City of […]
Mold, sewage, broken appliances among tenants’ problems in properties whose owner faces AG lawsuit
Nick and Amy Black’s son, August, already had a persistent cough by the time he was two months old. Their pediatrician said the baby is allergic to the mold in the family’s Little Rock apartment. It’s what makes Amy “the most mad” about their living situation at Big Country Chateau, which has had a plethora […]
DHS finalizes end to Trump-era ‘public charge’ rule for immigrants
The Biden administration finalized a new public charge rule on Thursday that would eliminate Trump-era policies that penalized low-income immigrants seeking health benefits and other services. The new rule from the Department of Homeland Security will roll back the types of assistance immigration officers can consider when evaluating immigrants for a green card and deciding […]