LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — As urban areas in Arkansas struggle with affordable housing, local and federal officials broke ground on three new home developments on Wednesday.
Little Rock residents can expect to see more affordable housing options coming.
"This is the capital city and we do need to pay more attention to how our citizens are living," said Leta Anthony with the Metropolitan Housing Alliance.
That's why Anthony said they are working to give Little Rock more options for quality and affordable housing.
"It's an opportunity for us to go back to building homes, homes that stabilize our neighborhoods," she said.
Three new single-family homes will be built on Charles Bussey Avenue— and Mayor Frank Scott Jr. said the goal is to eventually build 100.
"We've already purchased 25 lots, 14 of those 25 lots are already developing, we will continue to meet that goal and we do that to ensure that no matter where you are, no matter the zip code here in the city of Little Rock, you can own a home," Mayor Scott said.
Anthony said that she also wants to see a shift from apartment building to building neighborhoods instead.
"Unfortunately, apartments become drains to our community because they are run by out-of-state property managers, as soon leave those property management opportunities as soon as they've made a quota out of it. And then we have a wall of old apartments that need to be kept up," she said.
According to Anthony, more homes will be built in the next 18 months.
"Madison Heights, which was the home of the old Highland court community has three phases, all apartments, beautiful apartments that we're about to renovate. But there's a phase four of Madison Heights, which we're going to take and build 25 homes, 7.65 acres," she said.