FAYETTEVILLE, Ark – It’s no secret that Fayetteville is experiencing a housing crisis, and in a constantly growing city, residents are struggling to find a solution. One proposed solution drew criticism when presented to the Fayetteville City Council on Sept. 16. A vote on the proposal did not take place and the matter was tabled until the next meeting.
Andrew Malzer, a developer from Next Chapter Neighborhoods, pitched his plan for a single-family rental neighborhood as the “best housing option in the NWA area as a whole.” Malzer compared the development to a high-end apartment complex that attracts the 55+ crowd with a fixed-income lifestyle. He emphasized Next Chapter Neighborhoods’ focus on community involvement, calling it a “great neighborhood for great neighbors.”
According to the city council’s website, more than 1,000 additional housing units per year are needed to keep up with demand. While it’s agreed that more housing is what the city needs, some residents don’t see this development as the solution. The land is currently zoned for 500 units, and the real estate developer is requesting a downzone of about 200 units;
“I contend you will never find a build to rent product under 10 units per acre.” Malzer said. City Council Member Sarah Moore expressed her concerns for the development, “it doesn’t feel very Fayetteville” Moore said.
The neighborhood would be adjacent to Fayetteville’s newest community park, Underwood Park. Plans for the park include a basketball court, pickleball court, a playground, splash pad, a boardwalk, fishing piers and more. When asked how the park and neighborhood would interact, Malzer said the two would have a lot of “interconnectivities” through sidewalks and trails.
“It’s sitting right beside this amenity-rich park, but you’re going to put a lot more amenities versus houses” Moore said. “We’re going to have park-goers and community members that may be living in poverty, and they’re sitting there staring at these lush amenities, and I’m just having a disconnect with that.”
Some residents in the nearby neighborhoods spoke at the meeting in objection to the development. One such resident, Jim Erwin, expressed his concerns about the use of the land.
“I live right on the park and when Underwood bought it all of the neighbors voted against a big subdivision when we gave them our support.” Erwin said. “I don’t feel like this is a great use of this piece of property and I ask that you do not allow it to be re-zoned.”
According to Erwin, Underwood made a deal with his community to create a neighborhood mixed-use service development with tenants such as clinics, lawyers’ offices and dentist offices.
“I don’t feel like he’s lived up to his part of the deal,” Erwin said. “We’re selling out to another states rental thing.”
Another community member echoed Moore’s concerns.
“I think this sounds a bit tone deaf based on the conversations we’ve been having locally,” Wesley Bates said. “It looks like a single-family neighborhood that no one can own their house in.”
According to Next Chapter Neighborhoods, “Each city’s local government staff, as well as other stakeholders, expressed a recognition that not all residents want to live in single-family homes on large plots of land.”
Some other concerns included rainwater management, privatized streets, income requirements and architectural style. A vote that could approve the housing development was tabled and will be addressed at the city council’s next meeting on Oct. 7.