Our Mission
The University District Development Corporation works to strengthen University District neighborhoods and improve the quality of life in the University District by increasing homeownership and the supply of affordable housing, making improvements to infrastructure, increasing business activity, and expanding employment and training opportunities for residents.
Our Vision
UDDC envisions the University District as a thriving cultural and entertainment destination, regarded throughout the city as having neighborhoods of choice—a walkable in-town district with excellent schools and services, vibrant commercial areas, rich cultural resources, and connections to open space and transit.
Our Goals
- Increase property values and improve housing conditions.
- Improve neighborhood infrastructure, including sidewalks, trails, safe streets, and parks.
- Increase levels of personal safety and outdoor activity to create an active, healthy neighborhood.
- Increase levels of middle-income residents.
Our Accomplishments
- Seven new and four rehabbed homes for first-time homebuyers!
- Repairs and improvements to 30+ existing homes in the UD.
- New sidewalks on the Harrison Street Corridor.
- Improvement and maintenance of Curran Conway Park!
- The Oak Forest Community Garden.
- Wellness fairs, classes, and a farmer’s market!
- The UD Senior Network, 200+ households
- Secured $1.5 million for the construction of affordable new and rehabbed homes for homebuyers!
- Repairs and improvements to 30+ existing homes in the UD at a cost of $180,000.
- From 2011 to 2016 secured $200,000 in funding from Pulaski County, City of Little Rock and Arkansas Department of Transportation for a University District sidewalk study and new sidewalks along the Harrison Street Corridor.
- Partnered with collaborative on improvement and maintenance of Curran Conway Park!
- Since 2016, led effort with neighborhood residents to refurbish Oak Forest Community Garden. To date, raised $65,000 for new pavillion, raised garden bed gardens and tools for the garden.
- Sponsors an annual University District Wellness Fair, Garden to Grill Health Awareness Classes, and a seasonal University District Farmers Market!
- The UD Senior Network, 200+ households
- Worked with UD neighborhoods and Little Rock Parks and Recreation to include bikeways and paths in City of Little Rock’s Bicycle Plan
- Partnered with UA Little Rock’s Coleman Creek Greenway Committee and Pulaski County Government on a $1.5 million pedestrian and bicycle trail.
- Selected by the American Beverage Association in 2016 as one of the nine initial organization in Little Rock, Los Angeles, and New York cities to participate in its Balanced Calories Initiative.
- University District designated as a Growing Healthy Communities by the Arkansas Coalition for Obesity