Working in collaboration, the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service and Arkansas Community Organizations are presenting the results of surveys and focus groups taken in the Fall of 2014 of residents living in central, east, and south Little Rock. The special community presentation will take place on Monday, March 9 at 4:30 pm in the theater of the Hillary Rodham Clinton Children’s Library (4800 W. 10th Street in Little Rock).
Arkansas Community Organizations and their partner organization, the Arkansas Community Institute, worked with Dr. Warigia Bowman and forty-eight students from the University of Arkansas Clinton School of Public Service to conduct twelve focus groups and over four hundred surveys of residents living in neighborhoods south of I-630 and east of University Avenue about their views of Little Rock city government and concerns about their communities.
The research aimed to listen to community voices, collect data on community perceptions, and offer solutions to improve local governance. Participants in the focus groups were recruited from organizations and institutions in the neighborhoods south of the interstate. The surveys were conducted at stores and other locations in the same geographical area. The students led the focus groups and gathered the surveys. The study also examined previous work by scholars from across the city and state.
The school will release a paper containing the final results of an analysis of both focus group and survey findings.
The research found that Interstate 630 represents an unspoken physical and psychological barrier in Little Rock. The study also found that many citizens living south of I-630 were not familiar with the Mayor or the City Board of Directors. Other matters of concern to the community were the inequity of resource allocation compared to wealthier neighborhoods. Participants indicated a high level of concern regarding a lack of access to public services, street maintenance, and traffic safety. The study also raised issues regarding economic development, investment in infrastructure, and vacant housing. On the positive side, citizens offered a variety of constructive suggestions for community improvement, including the use of vacant lots for community gardens and soccer fields.