Critical Family Shelter in Little Rock Begins Final Campus Expansion Using NMTC Funding

In 1987, after a two-year community study on the growing homelessness epidemic in Central Arkansas, Our House was founded with a mission to provide family-focused shelter solutions with access to case management services and long-term assistance. At the time, only two shelters in Little Rock offered short-term stays for individuals, and there were no shelters that allowed families to stay together. Our House set out to fill that void, opening a 40-bed, family-focused emergency facility.

In 1991, Our House expanded operations to include skills training programs, childcare, and more cohesive family support. By 2005, Our House had consolidated all of their services into a single community hub in Southeast Little Rock, significantly reducing transportation barriers. Operating for over 35 years, Our House has continuously evolved into a critical multi-service community organization for countless individuals and families in Central Arkansas.

Building New Beginnings is Our House’s final campus expansion to meet the growing needs of unhoused Arkansans. Our House has owned the site since 1997 and has steadily made improvements over time to deliver comprehensive services to the community, including an expansion in 2022 (Phase II) that doubled its transitional housing and youth programming capacities.

Phase III includes the acquisition of 13,902 square feet of new housing and program delivery space. Eleven family-focused housing units with an onsite mental health counselor and case managers will serve an additional 40-50 families annually. A new intake center will allow Our House to better connect new clients to their services and partner organizations. Other critical campus improvements include a bus stop enclosure and bike station to remove transportation barriers, an outdoor pavilion and playground for trauma-informed community building, and a new guard booth to increase campus safety.

Phase III is currently under construction, but New Markets Tax Credits were still needed to fill a critical funding gap and complete the project as intended.

Our House anticipates serving an additional 600+ individuals annually through this expansion, equating to a 12% increase, with 97% of shelter exits estimated to move up the housing ladder into long-term stability.

Housing: Our House operates both dormitory-style and apartment-style temporary housing solutions, all free of charge. The dormitories provide meals, clothing, hygiene items, as well as common/leisure areas. The apartment-style units are designed for families, providing increased privacy, privileges, and responsibilities. In October 2024, 506 individuals attempted to check into Our House, but less than 10% were able to be housed immediately due to space constraints. Phase III will construct 11 additional apartment units, representing an 85% increase in transitional housing capacity, directly addressing their demand.

Healthcare: The State of Arkansas is currently ranked 43rd in mental health access and 48th in overall health outcomes. In partnership with ARCare and Arkansas Children’s Hospital, the renovated facility will provide on-site physical and mental health services including primary care, health screenings, psychiatric evaluations, therapy, and substance abuse counseling. Co-locating these services with on-campus housing ensures immediate access for clients and improves the management of chronic conditions that often impede employment. A new Intake Center, with dedicated clinical space and increased provider capacity will serve as a central triage point for another 236 patients annually, 25% more than the current 956 annual healthcare visits.

Childcare: Onsite childcare allows parents to seek and maintain full-time employment, addressing developmental delays common in children experiencing homelessness. Our House’s NAEYC-accredited trauma-informed curriculum is designed to promote school readiness and enhance children’s physical, cognitive, social, and emotional development (ages 0-5). Our Club, the organization’s K-12 childcare program, keeps youth engaged in productive and fun activities when they are not in school. Phase III will add 40 childcare slots, increasing capacity by 32% and serving 100% low-income families.

Workforce Readiness: Our House operates an on-site Career Center that offers employment coaching, resume workshops, and soft-skills training. This gives clients access to high-quality, above minimum wage jobs to break through intergenerational cycles of poverty. This expansion will enable Our House to serve 33 additional people annually, a 2% increase of the current 1,887 beneficiaries.

Social Services: Building New Beginnings will increase the reach of wraparound services by 10% annually, giving low-income families the tools they need to escape poverty. The new facility will offer case management for families covering housing, employment, education, finances, family stability, and mental wellness. Specialized programs are also available for citizens returning from incarceration.

Through this project, Our House plans to create 16 full-time positions and retain another 79, with roles spanning clinicians, case managers, teachers, housing and employment specialists, administrative positions, and supporting staff. Employees are expected to earn an average wage of 112% of the areas living wage and will receive comprehensive benefits including medical, dental, and vision insurance as well as paid vacation and sick leave, retirement plans, childcare, employee assistance programs, and tuition discounts at the local state university.

95% of these jobs will be accessible to individuals without a four-year college degree. Furthermore, 40% of the jobs will be accessible to low-income persons and/or those who face barriers to employment. Construction of the site will create another 91 temporary FTEs, with most positions also accessible to low-income persons and/or those without a four-year degree. Job training and advancement opportunities will be implemented for all employees, as the GC plans to partner with local tech and community colleges to train and recruit workers.

Beyond its own staff, Our House is generously supported by the community, with approximately 2,000 volunteers donating over 15,000 hours of their time each year to support Our House and its critical programming.

Our House’s expansion directly advances the State of Arkansas’ “Homeless Services Priority Need” identified in the 2025-2029 Consolidated plan. The project also fulfills several of the City of Little Rock’s 5-Year Consolidated plan goals, including (i) Goal SL 1.4 to provide “homeless services, housing, and facilities” and (ii) Goal SL 3.1 for community facility rehabilitation. The campus’s integrated healthcare clinic also aligns with the City of Little Rock’s 2025 Annual Action Plan Goal SL 1.1, prioritizing funding for health services to low-income residents to reduce disparities.

The expansion of Our house and their services is a widely supported civic initiative, backed by the coalition of governments, healthcare institutions, corporate employers, and private philanthropy. Arkansas Development Finance Authority provided a $3.8 million forgivable loan, validating the state’s reliance on Our House as a core solution to family homelessness. The City of Little Rock even integrated Building New Beginnings, into their 2025 “homeless reduction strategy.” Organizations like the Windgate Foundation and Mabee Foundation provided grants totaling over $2M, demonstrating continued confidence in the project’s vision. Goodwill Industries of Arkansas, Evo Business Environments, Block by Block, Rock Region Metro, and other businesses actively recruit from Our House’s Career Center, validating the quality of its workforce readiness programs.

Our House empowers homeless and near-homeless families to succeed in the workforce, school, and in life through planning and active participation in the community. As Phase III moves toward completion, the New Markets Tax Credit program provided the funding necessary to bring the project to its full potential. Impact Marketplace is proud to support projects that strengthen essential community resources and build foundations for lasting independence.