Our Little Rock was created to bring together residents to shape a more livable Little Rock for all. Little Rock is the capital city of Arkansas with centuries of history, culture, and urban development. The natural beauty and access to the river has made it the settlement of choice throughout its existence. Today, Little Rock supports over 200,000 residents as they grow up, raise families, and retire. 

However, Little Rock has fallen victim to the North American development patterns that weaken its financial resilience and puts people secondary to the movement and storage of cars. Much of our city has become treacherous and inaccessible without a car. Residential neighborhoods and commercial districts are divided by zoning restrictions and highways. Land use has become a rigid commodity for a few rather than an evolving source of utility for many. 

Cities across the country are recognizing that 20th century development patterns are not sustainable. Urban designers and developers are taking a more people-centered approach. People across disciplines are seeing connections between our environment and our emotional wellbeing, health, finances, and community resilience and are taking action. There is a groundswell of resources and ideas to reshape cities for Little Rock residents and shape-holders to learn from and incorporate in incremental steps. For us to be successful, it will require us to be open to new ideas, to challenge ourselves, build bridges across silos, and to develop new, collaborative ways to shape our city. 

At Our Little Rock, we recognize that a more people-oriented city requires: