Advocates decried Arkansas’ housing policies and poor conditions at an event in downtown Little Rock Tuesday.
Arkansas Community Organizations and Arkansas Renters United members presented testimony from Little Rock residents whose health and safety have suffered as a result of poor housing conditions, and presented suggestions for local, state, and federal housing laws.
Radonia Harshaw is the chair of Arkansas Renters United, a renters-rights focused group. Speaking after the meeting, Harshaw said state and local governments need to acknowledge Little Rock’s housing crisis, framing access to housing as a safety issue.
“If you’re sitting up all night because your doors are not hinged, and you’re scared somebody’s going to come in on your family then you’re not able to get any rest,” Harshaw said, adding that can lead loss of employment, further destabilizing families.
“Safe, affordable housing is the number one priority for Arkansas Renters United.” Harshaw said.
During the meeting, Harshaw criticized a proposed 1% sales tax increase set to appear on the November ballot in Little Rock, saying the tax increase will burden already-struggling residents more than it benefits them.
“We often don’t see each others’ needs. All of us are working two or three jobs just to maintain what little we have. It is time for a change.”
Mayor Frank Scott Jr., who has long-advocated for the sales tax increase, has said some of the money raised by the increase will go towards creating more affordable homes. The money would also fund new sports complexes and renovate Little Rock’s Hindman and War Memorial parks. Scott has argued the city needs investments into large-scale projects such as these to help the city attract more businesses and residents.
Harshaw still thinks the city should focus on its current residents before taking up a new project.
“I’m working two to three jobs and I don’t even have an opportunity to go to the park because I’m trying to keep a roof over my head.” Harshaw said. “Priorities have to change.”
Barbara Jones is a longtime resident of Madison Heights apartments who receives disability benefits. Jones said Madison Heights looks nice from the outside, but tenants have struggled with poor management for years.
“The tenants are afraid to say anything, to do anything,” Jones said, describing herself as an “inquisitive person” who wants to know why things are going wrong. She said the complex often fails to pick up the trash on time, keep the back of the property orderly, and retaliates against tenants who ask why. Jones said apartment workers have been removed for talking to her.
“We don’t know where to go,” Jones said. “Who do you go to? The police? We don’t have them. They used to stay out there. They’re gone. Security of any type? No.”
Jones said she believes the situation can get better, but only if those impacted are willing to stand up.
Karina Espinosa Villegas is a member of ACO and longtime resident of Southwest Little Rock. Villegas said she has repeatedly watched Arkansas landlords prioritize profits over people and criticized the state’s failure to vacate law.
“Let’s face it, Arkansas is the worst state for tenants. It is the only state where tenants can face criminal charges for failure to vacate.” Villegas said, referencing the state's “failure to vacate” under which tenants may be charged with a misdemeanor and fined $25 per day after 10 days of being served an eviction.
Villegas said tenant laws need to change to provide affordable housing, protect families at risk of losing their homes, and hold landlords accountable when they neglect property.
Charles Wilson, a student at UA Little Rock and a member of ACO, expressed frustration with local government.
“Little Rock has housing codes. That should matter, it’s on the books, it is a law. So all of these [landlords and property owners] that are conducting their businesses are doing so as criminals,” Wilson said, adding he sees a double-standard for tenants and landlords.
“My main ask is just that we start actually enforcing laws that are on the books. It’s not fair that when we are negligent in our duties as citizens, they take us and put us in the county detention center. ”
Wilson said he wants the city to actually enforce existing housing codes, saying many landlords neither register properties correctly nor keep buildings up to code.
“What is our local government doing about it?” Wilson said. “Absolutely nothing.”
ACO and Arkansas Renters' United presented a list of policies they say are necessary to house everyone in need of a safe, healthy place to live.
The list includes strengthening the federal office of Housing and Urban Development's (HUD) ability to enforce basic habitability standards for HUD-funded housing at the federal level; repeal the so-called "failure to vacate" law and create a no-retaliation law protecting tenants who report habitability problems at the state level; and require all rental property owners to register with the city, as well as hiring and training code officers to regularly inspect properties reported for non compliance with housing codes.
The list also asks the cities of Little Rock and North Little Rock to pass a resolution declaring a housing emergency and appoint a task force to address the crisis. The Northwest Arkansas city of Fayetteville passed a resolution declaring a housing crisis in April after calls from ACO and other organizers.
Organizers urged the crowd to advocate for housing policies throughout the election season.
“It all starts with grassroots.” said Radonia Harshaw of Arkansas Renter’s United. “We’re gonna have to go back to the basics. We’re gonna have to follow Michelle and President Obama and do what we have to do, knock on doors, talk to our neighbors, and sign people up to vote. First and foremost, register to vote, and go out and do it.”
