University of Arkansas is selling a part of its land to a nonprofit group which intends to build micro shelter housing for homeless persons evicted from the area in recent weeks.
The university’s Board of Trustees on Friday voted to sell undeveloped 4.69 acres to non-profit Serve NWA for $72,571.
The green signal from the university’s board will allow the nonprofit to go ahead with its plans to start its “New Beginnings Community initiative” to provide for homeless people living in Fayetteville transitional micro-shelters.
“This initiative is specifically designed to meet housing needs through a “Housing First” approach. This approach will help those without housing opportunities to have a roof over their head while at the same time providing coordinated and comprehensive wrap-around services to help place them on the path towards permanent supportive housing,” Serve NWA said in a statement.
“The 258 identified people in our community who are either unsheltered or in emergency shelter are on our strategic map to provide more capacity and services while permanent housing options are identified.”
Last month, the university police called increasing crimes a reason to break up the homeless camps on the university land. Later, a meeting between the service-agency representatives and police asked the people to leave the property by September 6, leading to the arrest of four people for not complying with the orders.
