Fayetteville officials are facing a tight deadline to preserve vital services for the city’s unhoused population. According to Arkansas Online, the Fayetteville City Council is expected to consider a $165,000 emergency grant for the 7hills Homeless Center during its Tuesday agenda session. Mayor Molly Rawn warned the council that without the funding, the nonprofit may not be able to remain open past December.
Board President Hudson told council members that the grant would provide a short‑term runway, saying, “I’m not sure how far beyond, but it gives us enough to have some runway now.” He added that the organization has faced financial strain since late spring or early summer, compounded by the unexpected resignation of its executive director in September.
7hills currently operates a day center at 832 S. School Ave. and an overnight shelter at the Walker Family Residential Community south of Huntsville Road, which offers roughly 30 to 40 beds, according to city housing officer Marlee Stark. Stark emphasized that losing the overnight shelter capacity would be “just really not an option that works for this community.”
The nonprofit plans to relocate the day‑center operations to the Walker Family site and sell the School Avenue property to a developer planning affordable housing. The move, originally slated for the end of September, has been delayed; Hudson said the organization now hopes to complete the transition “early to mid‑December.” A sale expected at the beginning of next year should provide a modest financial boost.
Mayor Rawn expressed frustration with the nonprofit’s recent challenges, noting, “I was not pleased with the direction that 7hills was going in earlier this summer,” but she also cautioned against delaying aid because the organization is not perfect. Councilman Scott Berna stressed the urgency, stating, “The bottom line is we have to keep that organization open,” especially with winter approaching.
Other council members raised accountability concerns. Councilwoman Sarah Moore requested a guaranteed minimum number of hours for the day center, while Monique Jones asked for answers before approving any funding. Councilwoman Sarah Bunch called for a regional partnership to address homelessness, describing such collaboration as “the only way we can accomplish a lot of things.”
During the session, council members debated whether to keep the funding request on the consent agenda—a procedural item that bypasses public comment. The council ultimately left the item on the consent agenda but retained the option to pull it for discussion at the start of the official meeting.
What’s next: The council will reconvene later this week to decide whether to remove the grant request from the consent agenda and hold a full debate. If approved, the $165,000 would be signed and processed before the end of the year, giving 7hills the financial runway needed to keep its day center and shelter open through the winter months.
Sources: arkansasonline.com
