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Little Rock resident credits city rental-assistance program for move from van to apartment
Summary
A Little Rock resident says the city's rental-assistance program helped him move out of his van and into an apartment during a winter storm, reconnecting him with his children after months without stable housing.
A Little Rock resident said the city's rental-assistance program helped him move out of his van and into an apartment the day of a winter storm, a change he described as "a blessing from the city of Little Rock."
"I was actually sleeping in the parking lot at work in my van," the resident said, adding he had lived in the vehicle for months while holding a full-time job. "I slept in a van for 8 months. You know, I had a full-time job... I hadn't had a home-cooked meal in 8 months, you know, and I missed my kids."
The resident described staff from the city's rental-assistance program actively working with him to secure approval for an apartment. He said the program arranged an inspection and, despite concerns about a planned utility shutdown, electricity was activated that night so he could sign the lease and move in on the day of the storm. "We finally got approved for the apartment I'm in now... I got to sign the lease and move in the day of the storm of the winter storm," he said.
He praised program staff for outreach and follow-through, saying they "go out in the streets" to find people who need housing and help make housing happen rather than only making promises. "Y'all made it happen. Y'all made sure that y'all really did care about us," the resident said, adding he felt the program reached people who were working but still homeless.
The resident also described compounding hardships: a medical condition and the theft of his food-stamp benefits. He said "many of people in the state of Arkansas had and that lost their food stamps on that time and the state wouldn't reimburse us," which he said made an already difficult situation worse.
The account is from a single interview and offers firsthand testimony about one person's experience with Little Rock's rental-assistance outreach and housing placement. The resident said the program allowed him an opportunity to reunite with his children; the interview did not include program-level data, official statements, or details about broader caseloads or funding.
The resident concluded by thanking city staff and program workers for their dedication and outreach.
