Little Rock to receive multi-million-dollar grant to help with 2023 tornado
Though over two years have passed since a tornado ripped through the Little Rock metro, the city has now received a multi-million-dollar grant to help with recovery.
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. — It has been just over two years since a powerful, high-end EF-3 tornado ripped through parts of the Little Rock metro, and now the funding to help rebuild is on its way to the city.
The more than $20 million in funding come from the Community Development Block Grant Disaster Recovery, and alongside the grant, the city is required to have a public meeting to better learn how the community wants to see the money spent.
On Thursday evening, the Department of Housing and Neighborhood Planning held a community meeting virtually to discuss some options.
“One of the things that we found out, of course, we knew it already. Of course, we want the fire station to be rebuilt,” explained Kevin Howard, the Housing Director for the City of Little Rock Department of Housing and Neighborhood Programs.
However, the fire station wasn’t the only area impacted. The park in the Walnut Valley area was also heavily damaged during the tornado on March 31, 2023.
“We have a Reservoir Park that has issues, of course, with all the trees and the things that got damaged during the tornado as well,” Howard added.
Along with the park, sidewalks, and remaining trees are on the list of things that need to be addressed. Next is the devastating loss of property.
“A lot of houses were lost during that time period. We lost a lot of units,” Howard said.
While the tornado may have changed the landscape of the area, Howard explained that the rebuild must remain active.
“People are still trying to rebuild in that area. A lot of people sold their lots. We have a lot of infield development, and it needs to happen. A lot of vacant lots over the years, a lot of trees that were lost,” he described.
He also said that in the decade and a half that he has worked for the city, the Department of Housing and Neighborhood programs has never received this type of funding.
A tornado of its magnitude, in an area that is as populated as it is, has made the cleanup process a new and challenging experience for all.
“But we’re moving the ball down the field as quickly as possible,” Howard added.
After the comments and community input, the next phase of the process can move forward.
“Once we get that information, gathered that data, we’ll start working on an annual action plan. We have to get it put out for 30 days, for a comment period, and then once we get through the comment period, we’ll go in front of the board of directors,” he said.
However, the money could be coming sooner rather than later.
“It’s a process. So I would, you know, I would look at more towards between September and October,” Howard said.
Once the plan goes through the federal government, then more work will be done for the environmental review. When that is submitted and the city gets the green light, the money can be accessed.