Secretary Turner Visits Northwest Arkansas to Witness Opportunity Zone Success, Innovative Housing Solutions
Northwest Arkansas - U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Scott Turner joined Governor Sarah Sanders of Arkansas and Congressman Steve Womack (AR-03) in Northwest Arkansas. The leaders visited opportunity zones, discussed affordable housing solutions and spoke with elected officials, education leaders and members of the business community about economic growth and local initiatives yielding results in the region.
“Thank you to Governor Sanders and Congressman Womack for welcoming me to the great state of Arkansas to witness firsthand the incredible work being done to expand housing opportunities. The federal government does not have all the answers. Through our discussions, it is clear Arkansas is forging public-private partnerships to drive localized solutions to the state’s housing affordability challenges and to spur economic development. I appreciate the partnership and commitment of the Governor and Congressman in stewarding these local solutions to help revitalize Arkansas’ communities,” said Secretary Turner.
“It was a pleasure to welcome my good friend Secretary Turner to Arkansas to show off all Northwest Arkansas has to offer. It is no secret that this corner of our state is booming, but with growth comes the need for more affordable housing. I am grateful for the ways that Northwest Arkansas continues to innovate and lead in these initiatives, and my administration looks forward to working with Congressman Womack and Secretary Turner to support those efforts,” said Governor Sanders.
“It was an honor to host Secretary Turner to the Third District and showcase how Northwest Arkansas is leading the way with innovative approaches to affordable housing. As Chairman of the House Appropriations Subcommittee on Transportation, Housing, and Urban Development, I am committed to engaging with the administration as we look to fiscal year 2026 to further advance these initiatives while ensuring taxpayer dollars are used effectively and responsibly,” said Rep. Womack.
In the News:
“Our job is to maximize the budget that we do have and make sure that we're very efficient and effective and detailed, really deliberate about the resources that go out of HUD to make sure that we're serving the people that we're called to serve in the manner that we're called to serve them.”
“We understand the mission that we have. We understand the people we’ve been called to serve,” he said. “We want to do that in a way of excellence, in a way of effectiveness and being very efficient — and obviously understanding where the resources are going.”
“Working with nonprofits, working with faith-based institutions, working with some of the public-private partnerships like I’ve seen done so well here in Northwest Arkansas, I believe that that’s the way that we can attack this situation and attack the problem.”
Visit Highlights:
Secretary Turner and Rep. Womack began the day by meeting with the next generation of leaders at an assembly of Bentonville High School and Bentonville West High School students, answering their questions about affordable housing and urban development.
Secretary Turner and Rep. Womack then attended a presentation on innovative workforce housing. McAuley Place, a 160-unit affordable housing development is designed to accommodate teachers, staff and other residents of the Bentonville school district.
Secretary Turner and Rep. Womack participated in a roundtable discussion with local Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) stakeholders and professionals. The CDBG program, administered by HUD, provides federal grants to support affordable housing and community infrastructure improvements.
The visit continued with a driving tour of Opportunity Zone projects in Downtown Springdale, followed by a working lunch with Governor Sanders to discuss the impacts of Opportunity Zone redevelopment. Established under the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act, Opportunity Zones incentivize investment and development in traditionally underserved areas, including four designated areas in Springdale.
Secretary Turner, Governor Sanders and Rep. Womack held a roundtable to discuss localized solutions to the affordable housing challenges in Northwest Arkansas and how HUD is implementing the President’s Executive Order to expand housing supply while bringing costs down for the American people.
Secretary Turner, Governor Sanders and Rep. Womack toured Fayetteville Housing Authority’s Hillcrest Towers, a 120-unit complex offering accessible apartments for individuals aged 55+ or those with disabilities.
Secretary Turner and Rep. Womack visited the Anthony Timberlands Center for Design and Materials Innovation at the University of Arkansas, set to open in summer 2025. The center will explore innovative wood product applications in architecture and construction, including affordable housing prototypes.