On Thursday evening, residents of the Wedington Place senior living complex gathered around folding tables in the center’s common room to discuss the news of the sharp rent increases.
Rosa Floyd, whose 78-year-old mother and 84-year-old father both live in Wedington, helped organize this hearing for the tenants.
“So when you come home, there’s a note on your door saying this. It’s a huge shock and you almost don’t know what to do,” Floyd said.
The meeting included representatives from the city of Fayetteville, Senator Greg Leding and several community resource and advocacy groups. Floyd said many of the residents feel helpless and she hopes this discussion can be a forum for questions and solutions.
“How can we step in and fill the gaps?” Floyd asked. “If people have to choose between food and rent, how can we help them?”
On Aug. 6, the 55-and-over housing community learned its rents would be going up. That news came after the building was taken over by a new out-of-state management company: Little Rock-based Ace Telluride-AR LLC. Property records show the company purchased the property in July for $5.2 million.
According to a letter from the new owners to tenants, rent for one-bedroom apartments would increase from $520 to $900 and for two-bedroom apartments from $750 to $1,150, depending on when the leases are renewed.
Deborah George has lived in the apartment complex on Telluride Drive in Fayetteville for nearly five years and says the increase is unreasonable.
“I know that as a single mother, I did well to fight,” George said. “I mean, it’s not just the seniors. It’s anyone who is considered low-income. I don’t think they could afford it, and many of them would become homeless, and that’s what’s going to happen here.”
While some residents have vouchers from the Housing and Urban Development Department or the Veterans Affairs Department, more than half pay out of pocket. George, who uses a motorized wheelchair, said many of the residents also have disabilities or severely limited mobility.
“Change is hard when you’re older,” she said. “Many of us with disabilities are trying to pack up and move. Plus there’s the cost of moving… and you have to pay the fees somewhere else.”
Finding another affordable social housing unit with transport links and a community of older people seems impossible, she said.
Floyd and her husband, Michael, said they have not been able to reach the new owners or management to answer their questions. And while she believes the rent increase is inevitable for Wedington Place residents, she is hopeful for a change in the future.
“I would like to see the city create senior housing under the existing 2040 plan,” Floyd said. “We actually have issues with the need for affordable housing. So if people aren’t eligible for Section 8 or VA, you know they need affordable housing, right? They’re stuck in that gap.”
In April, the City of Fayetteville declared a housing crisis and created a housing task force. Tommie Flowers-Davis and Henry Ho are both members of the task force, which was appointed by Mayor Lioneld Jordan.
“There’s little we can do to affect rent increases, but maybe we can do something about future developments and the like,” Flowers-Davis said.
Henry Ho expressed optimism about the role of the task force, which will raise the issue directly with the mayor’s office and the city council.
“My bottom line is that this group of seniors in our community who live paycheck to paycheck really need a voice,” Ho said. “So I’m walking away from this meeting saying we need to be part of their voice as we think about the incentives and things that we want our developers and our city to promote. We need to put the needs of our senior community on the radar of the broader housing issues that we have.”
He said Fayetteville needs to prioritize building new and better housing specifically for seniors.
Billy Cook of Arkansas Renters United, a renters’ rights advocacy group, said the barriers to affordable housing and such price increases are political in nature.
“We seem to have a large group of people here in the state legislature who, for whatever reason, oppose stronger renter protections,” Cook said. “Then, as mentioned, the Realtors Association also has a powerful lobbying division and a PAC. They always donate to candidates who support them and their policies. And they do a great job of hiring lobbyists to block policies that they believe are not in their best interests.”
The Floyds, however, hope that lawmakers will take up the issue in their next session. Michael Floyd suggested some options for a bill, including limiting rent increases for seniors.
“And then we would also like to have a cap on how much rent can increase per year,” he said. “Even 10 to 13 percent can be a bitter blow for a retiree who receives about $1,500 a month from Social Security.”
Other possible policy changes he proposed included tax incentives for landlords and property owners to keep rents low and the creation of an Arkansas-sponsored housing voucher program modeled after federal Section 8 assistance.
Ozarks at Large transcripts are produced in a timely manner. This text may not be in its final form and may be updated or revised in the future. The authoritative record of KUAF programs is the audio recording.
Support KUAF and ensure that public broadcasting continues to flourish
For more than 50 years, KUAF has been your source for trusted news, enriching music and community connections. Your support enables us to bring you trusted journalism through programs like Morning edition, All in all And Ozarks in general. As we plan for the next 50 years, we need your support for KUAF to ensure we can continue to bring you the news, music and connections you value. Your support is not only appreciated, it is essential. Make your gift today Here.
Thank you for supporting KUAF!
