FAYETTEVILLE -- Local nonprofit Circles Northwest Arkansas led a panel Wednesday night at the Fayetteville library to share stories of those impacted by the region's affordability crisis.
"Our vision as an organization is a community committed to removing the barriers that keep people in poverty," said Circles NWA Executive Director Christina Williams. "The same is true here with the housing crisis. We need to be continually committed to pursuing different solutions that will address both the need for affordable housing and the need for more renter protections."
More than 25%-35% of renters in Northwest Arkansas are cost-burdened, meaning their rent is more than one-third of their monthly income, Williams said.
Average home prices in Northwest Arkansas are continuing to climb in 2023, according to the Arvest Skyline Report. The average home cost $368,695 in Washington County, while Benton County homes averaged $420,114, according to the 2023 Skyline Report.
Circles flips the script on mentorship by placing the mentee in the leadership position and mentors in a more allyship-focused role, Williams said.
Berenice Melchor became a participant in the program in 2023 after struggling to find housing after being evicted. She said her landlord of over 10 years served her a 30-day notice in early 2023 despite her paying the rent on time, if not early.
It came as a shock to her, she said, as she never had previous issues. She became emotional when talking about it at the forum, saying both she and her sons have been traumatized by the ordeal.
While she was able to find housing, she said the process was so difficult she almost gave up and went to a homeless shelter.
"It made me feel like a failure as a parent," Melchor said about struggling to find housing in Northwest Arkansas. "To this day I am still scared to call my house, 'home'."
Chloe Hutson, a Realtor at Collective Real Estate Partners, said she sees the affordability crisis every day. Hutson said to be able to afford a $450,000 house, which is close to average in Benton County, the mortgage would be near $3,000 a month.
She said many families cannot afford that without being income-burdened, as households would need to make three times that, or $9,000 a month.
"We're running into a problem where we're not being paid enough to be able to afford to live in the homes that are provided for us here," she said. "I can't afford to buy a house here, and that's what I do day in and day out."
Williams said there is still hope, even with the regional affordability crisis. Rezoning, land donations and grassroots efforts all can help, she said.
Yet, the organization's goals ask for people to reimagine what's possible. Resources about landlord-tenant laws, land use, and ways to provide assistance and support to renters were handed out at the meeting, but Williams said she hopes the stories were the most impactful.
"I still talk about it, and it hurts," Melchor said about her old home. "Because that was the last place my mom took a breath, this is where my two boys came home after the hospital. It's not that easy just to forget. I hope that by sharing our stories we can bring awareness and advocacy so everyone can have affordable, dignified and safe housing in this community."
Left to Right: Jessica Olivera, James Jones, Berenice Melchor, Thelishia Conley, Christina Mansfield and Christina Williams share their experiences with the affordability crisis in Northwest Arkansas. (NWA Democrat-Gazette/Lydia Fletcher)Percent of cost burdened households by city
Fayetteville: 35%
Springdale: 31%
Rogers: 25%
Bentonville: 26%
Sources: Circles NWA, Walton Family Foundation