4 days ago
Rogers mayor calls for unified regional approach to housing crisis
FAYETTEVILLE, Ark. (KNWA/KFTA) — In a response to the Walton Family Foundation's recent report on housing affordability in Northwest Arkansas, Rogers Mayor Greg Hines says his city has already taken action.
'In Rogers, we've already done what the Walton Family Foundation is calling for: we've legalized multifamily and missing middle housing — and we've made it easy to build,' Hines said.
Rogers' newly adopted Unified Development Code allows multifamily housing near all major growth areas, eliminating the need for rezonings and streamlining the approval process through administrative review, according to Hines.
Hines said the results speak for themselves.
'A surge in multifamily development [is happening] without requiring a single rezoning,' Hines noted. 'No other city in the region is matching that pace, and it's happening because we've modernized the rules, not because we've relaxed the standards.'
NWA 2050: As population climbs, so do housing costs in Northwest Arkansas
The Walton Family Foundation's Our Housing Future report urges cities across the region to rethink zoning restrictions, encourage housing diversity, and invest in attainable housing strategies to maintain regional growth and workforce stability. Rogers' model, Hines suggests, is already proving that those recommendations can work.
But the mayor also said that local efforts alone aren't enough.
'Housing doesn't stop at the city line, and neither should housing policy,' he said. 'We support a Council of Governments — or similar mechanism — to coordinate land use, infrastructure, and affordability across Northwest Arkansas. We're ready to lead, but we also need to act together.'
With growth projected to continue rapidly across Benton and Washington counties, Hines says the time for coordinated, regional action is now.
'If Northwest Arkansas wants to stay competitive, it's time to get serious about working as a region, not just talking like one.'
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