LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — Construction is now underway in Pulaski County to build the state's first-of-its-kind tiny home village for the homeless.
Providence Park CEO Errin Stanger, who is behind the project gave updates on the progress while at the Little Rock Rotary Club meeting that was held on Tuesday.
"Phase one is underway. We've been working on things behind the scenes for quite a while," Stanger described.
Now dirt is turning, and the land has been cleared to build Providence Park, a tiny home village for the unsheltered in Pulaski County.
Stanger explained how there's much more to it than just homes.
"What this really is about, it is about a full community support around these individuals. It's the entire neighborhood of care and support, and that's why this is just completely new and different here in Arkansas," Stanger said.
The plan is to build 400 tiny homes on the 50 acres off of Chicot Road.
To make it have more of a community feel they're also building a community center, a fabrication lab for neighbors to work, and a medical clinic.
"I pray and hope that it's going to make a huge impact to lift them off of the streets," Stanger said.
To help the unhoused temporarily, rotary members at the meeting made some care packages to give to them. Nate Coulter with Central Arkansas Library System helped make it happen.
"A lot of people are coming in the library this time of year to escape the heat, or in 4,5,6, months, they'll be coming in the library to get out of the elements that are colder," Coulter said.
Now they have supplies to give them when they come into CALS.
"People could go through the line and we purchased a bunch of things. They put them in these nice two-gallon zip lock bags. So it's a good opportunity for people to get their hands involved with something that's going to be handed out in our libraries over the coming days," he said.
"Thanks to Central Arkansas Library System and the staff that was here today to help make that possible, and thanks to Rotary for letting us do that. For the first time and getting to fill those bags, I'm excited those will be used instantly," Stanger explained.
Stanger said they hope to move people into Providence Park by the summer of 2025.
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