+ Jobs Growth
Mayor Frank Scott, Jr. promised to be Little Rock’s Chief Growth Officer, and the Scott Administration has announced nearly 8,000 jobs in three years, a more than 100% increase over jobs created in the year before he took office. They include
- Trader Joe’s
- Costco
- Amazon (two sites)
- Trex
- Revolution (expansion)
- Fiocchi
- Sca Pharma
- Alleviant Health Centers (expansion)
- Arcturus Aerospace
- Priority1
- Express Rx
- HMS Mfg. Co.
- AFTERGLOW Aircraft Solutions (expansion)
- Arkansas Federal Credit Union
- W&W AFCO Steel (expansion)
+ Targeted Economic Development
• Waived more than $1 million in fees to spur on economic development in neighborhoods south of I-630 and east of I-30.
• Designated $1 million for targeted development in areas south of I-630 and east of I-30.
• Adopted a comprehensive policy requiring all city departments to examine contracting standards and develop specific Women and Minority-owned Business Enterprise (WMBE) inclusion plans.
• BUILD Academy — Businesses United In Leadership Development
- 12-week business development initiative that walks local business owners and aspiring entrepreneurs through topics pertaining to business essentials.
- BUILD empowers entrepreneurs to scale their business and reach their highest potential!
- It connects potential with opportunity.
• Half-million dollars provided in forgivable loans through the Small Business COVID Relief Grant Program, many to minority businesses.
+ Public Safety
• Little Rock has hired more and retained more officers than the prior three years before the Scott administration (occupancy rate is nearly twice the national average).
• Crime reduction strategy is a citywide holistic approach and includes $1.5 Million for community violence intervention grants and $1 Million for community school social workers to help reduce crime.
• Violent Gun Crime Unit started by LRPD has made significant arrests.
• Hired first social worker for LRPD to address issues that don’t require a police officer response.
• Created LGBTQIA+ liaison program.
• Increased accountability and transparency:
- $1.5 Million for community violence intervention grants and in December 2021 was awarded $1 Million U.S. Department of Justice grant for community school social workers and more in order to reduce crime.
- Violent Gun Crime Unit started by LRPD and have made significant arrests. Each week LRPD is highlighting how many illegal guns it is taking off the streets.
- Created first-ever Citizens Review Board.
- Purchased LPRD body cameras.
- Reduced the number of No-Knock warrants by using a pre-raid threat assessment.
- Revised the use of force policy to protect Little Rock residents by banning chokeholds.
- Created an officer Duty to Intervene policy.
- Launched a comprehensive independent review of the entire police department; you can read the report at www.littlerock.gov/lrpdreview.
• Increased the budget of the Homeless Service Advocate’s Office from $400,000 to $600,000 to expand capacity to connect homeless residents to local organizations that can provide mental health supports.
• Connecting homeless residents with opportunity by expanding Bridge to Work jobs program.
+ Education
• Helped return Little Rock School District to local control
• Created Little Rock’s first Community Schools Model at four elementary schools—Chicot, Stephens, Washington and Watson—with expansion planned for the 2022/23 school year to Mabelvale Elementary and Middle Schools.
• Helped students get on track through the Frankly Reading Summer Series.
• Hired Little Rock’s first Chief Education Officer to implement the Community Schools Model and develop strategic partnerships to help skill Little Rock’s workforce.
+ Covid-19 Relief
• $1.5 Million designated for crime prevention.
• Half-million dollars provided in forgivable loans through the Small Business COVID Relief Grant Program, many to minority businesses.
• Emergency Broadband Benefit Program to help families in Little Rock get access to broadband.
• Launched citywide feeding for students and families during first year of the pandemic.
• Launch free WiFi in city parks.
• Partnered with Our House to create a financial resource hotline to support low-income, homeless, and near-homeless individuals and families that are impacted by the pandemic.
• Provided 10,000 free face masks to homeless shelters and through partnerships with Edwards Food Giant and Kroger.
• Developed emergency zoning changes to allow restaurants to pivot to various types of retail to continue to doing business.