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Friends,
Affordable housing opportunities remain a top priority for our City. We recognize that housing security and home ownership are key steps toward economic mobility and generational wealth-building. We also know that, like the rest of the United States, Little Rock has far too few affordable housing units.
My administration is making a concerted effort to create more housing stock and to encourage public-private partnerships to invest in quality, affordable housing. This year, we plan to establish a Housing Trust Fund to support this initiative, and at the same time we are leveraging federal dollars to construct affordable housing units across the City.
Last week, we hosted a Housing Showcase in the 4000 block of Bowers Street in Ward 6, where we have constructed several homes for low- to moderate-income residents. We started work on these homes when we had set a goal of 100 new affordable housing units. Now, with a total of 191, our new goal is an additional 200 homes. With every unit, we are supporting financial independence for our residents and a stronger community for all of us!
The three units on Bowers Street are federally funded through the Department of Housing and Urban Development's HOME Investment Partnership grant. The City provides up to $20,000 for down payment support and closing costs.
In the coming months, we will build 18 new units on Zion Street and 12 more on Holt Street.
The Housing Showcase featured the ADA-compliant, single-family home at 4411 Bowers St. that is currently under construction. The showcase kicked off National Community Development Week.
Throughout the week, we highlighted the work of the City's Department of Housing and Neighborhood Programs, led by Director Kevin Howard. National Community Development Week is observed each year to highlight affordable housing, local economic development and efforts to promote progress on behalf of all residents, especially those with low to moderate incomes.
With our affordable housing initiatives, we are transforming our City and offering economic stability through home ownership.
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Little Rock, Meet Roxie
The City of Little Rock's newest team member is Roxie, a virtual assistant to help you navigate our website and answer many of your questions about our departments and programs.
Roxie is an AI-powered chatbot made possible through the City of Little Rock's partnership with Google Cloud and SID Global Solutions (SIDGS). Roxie is your always-ready digital guide to City services, resources and people.
We are a solutions-oriented City committed to innovation that better serves our community. Through emerging AI technology, we are working toward new ways to make city government more efficient, effective and accessible. As your new digital assistant, Roxie represents how we are identifying methods to consistently innovate and improve.
Roxie is another promise kept, after we pledged last year to leverage AI capabilities to better serve our residents and guests. Another way we are leveling up our use of technology is through our Smart Waste pilot program, which I discussed in this year's State of the City address.
Roxie is a great tool for anyone to navigate our website and learn more about the City, and Roxie is at your service 24/7!
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ROCKfolio Update
We brought you our first ROCKfolio progress report last fall as we tracked our efforts to obtain positive results for our residents. Last month, we released another edition of ROCKfolio, which contains information and statistics about our City departments' performance throughout 2024.
Our goal through ROCKfolio is to track specific metrics and goals across departments so that residents have easily digestible, yet meaningful, information about how their City operates. It is an accountability measure, and it is a benchmark for progress for me and the 2,500 City of Little Rock team members that serve their community.
As a data-driven City, we use data to inform our decision-making process and shape our policies and priorities. Our Chief Data Officer, Marquis Willis, ensures that the data we collect helps us build a better Little Rock, and we appreciate him for his work to create ROCKfolio.
As a report card, ROCKfolio allows us to identify areas of improvement and refocus our efforts toward progress and solutions for the benefit of our residents. I hope you will take the time to read the latest report and work together with us to unite, grow and transform our City!
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The Week Ahead
- The Little Rock Board of Directors will set the agenda for its next regular meeting on Tuesday, April 29, at 4 p.m. in the Board Room at City Hall, 500 W. Markham St. All board meetings are livestreamed on the City of Little Rock's Facebook and YouTube pages.
- Join us Tuesday, April 29, at 10:30 a.m. at Kiwanis Park as we celebrate all-new playground equipment and renovations at the Park located in Ward 6 at 4100 Holt St. In addition to the state-of-the-art playground, improvements at Kanis Park include new picnic tables and benches, a repaved walking trail and a renovated pavilion.
- The Little Rock Civil Service Commission meets Thursday, May 1, at 8:30 a.m. in the Board Room at City Hall.
- At 4 p.m. on Thursday, May 1, the City's Historic District Commission meets in the Board Room at City Hall.
- NEXT WEEK: On Monday, May 5, we are taking City Hall out into the community with our next Mobile City Hall. We will be at Saint Mark Baptist Church, 5722 W. 12th St., from 5 p.m. to 7 p.m.
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As always, stay up to date with what's happening in the City on Facebook, X, or Instagram via @citylittlerock. You can also email me at mayorscott@littlerock.gov or call my office at 501.371.4744.
I appreciate you!
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