Communities Unlimited is a nonprofit organization that works with rural communities across the southern states. The organization builds upon the existing character in the area and finds ways to enhance the overall quality of life. Through their holistic approach, the organization’s mission is put into action by forming direct engagement with locals. They aim to build a foundation of healthy living by identifying needed programs and setting up communities for long-term success and growth.
The organization reaches seven states through seven core programs, which include housing, infrastructure, sustainability, entrepreneurship, food, lending, and broadband. Working together as a wheel to aid communities with specific needs, these programs build upon each other and promote growth in all areas through strategic blending.
Audra Butler, Area Director of Rural Housing, works to create more accessible housing for working class members in these communities through her years of experience and passion for affordable living. Butler states that her mission is, “building an ecosystem of housing professionals and resources that are working within these under resourced communities.”
Some specific targeted issues that Butler aims to address across communities are the aging home crisis and the competition for resources among faster growing areas. This creates a high-speed loss of housing met with delayed response that keeps struggling communities struggling.
There are several solutions at Communities Unlimited through support of programs like Healthy Homes, modular housing, and COME HOME. These housing programs work together to preserve existing homes in rural communities and bring in more affordable homes. The programs help partners and developers with startup costs, housing outreach, education, community revitalization, and development of resources.
Healthy Homes is in its earlier stages and is specific to the Arkansas and Mississippi regions. The project has four participating counties, two in each state, with around 150 homes being affected across them all. In these counties, low-income homeowners can apply for health and safety home assessments to ensure eight principal needs are met in each home. Once the top needs are identified, a second phase where health and safety repairs can begin. The issues addressed can range from roof problems, old HVAC systems, and lack of quality air, all of which are improved to increase safety for the people living here. The cycle continues if a Healthy Homes area is a fit candidate for other housing programs.
The modular housing manufacturing program is another approach to more affordable housing that remains a passion for Butler. It involves the development of homes done off-site in order to cut costs and improve production speeds.
Pine Bluff is one example of the overlap between programs, with current involvement in Healthy Homes and being the first to receive a modular home with support from Communities Unlimited. There are currently eight more modular homes in the process of being developed and placed, creating a flexible solution to affordability and speed in rural housing.
Moving forward with modular housing is a slower process in Arkansas because of current legislation. Typically, a state agency can approve modular home development and designs to be used across the state. Without having to get each home approved at a local level, developers can build faster, cheaper, and reach more areas. Arkansas lacks this legislation; however, it has not stopped Communities Unlimited. The organization is determined to push for the state legislation required to make the process more efficient.
When addressing the variety of issues found across states, Communities Unlimited supports the people, developers, and contractors in specific ways that the area needs.
“It’s about building long term generational wealth through housing, through workforce or entrepreneurship development,” says Butler. “Then also sustaining that community and making sure that [systems] are working well, so that they can have development or that their people are healthy and able to thrive in the communities.”
Every community comes with its own problems to solve, passions to uplift, and unique personality to preserve. Communities Unlimited works toward this by creating long-term solutions unique to every area. Throughout Arkansas, they are promoting attainable and affordable housing in ways that reflect the state’s values and personality.
Written by Chloe Babin