# Event Details - **Event Name**: The Natural State Housing Summit - **Event Start and End Date**: Thu, 01 Oct, 2026 at 08:00 am – Thu, 01 Oct, 2026 at 04:00 pm (-05:00) - **Event Description**: The Natural State Housing Summit convenes statewide leaders to confront Arkansas's toughest housing challenges and champion policyAbout this EventThe Natural State Housing Summit is a statewide convening in Little Rock bringing together legislators, municipal leaders, housing practitioners, and key stakeholders to align around Arkansas's most pressing housing challenges and advance actionable policy solutions. The summit will feature expert voices from across the country who will provide regional and national on housing production strategies, regulatory reform, and proven policy models. Through structured sessions and facilitated dialogue, the summit will elevate solutions that are working in other states, preview legislative priorities ahead of the 2027 Arkansas session, and strengthen the cross-sector coalition needed to move housing production forward at scale. https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events10/banners/d868a2b0-a695-11f1-8990-5d04d231a2dd-rimg-w1200-h600-dc084858-gmir.jpg Agenda🕑: 07:45 AM - 08:15 AMBreakfast and Registration🕑: 08:15 AM - 08:45 AMWelcomeHost: Duke McLarty🕑: 09:15 AM - 10:15 AMHow to Get Arkansas Building AgainHost: Marc DunkelmanInfo: This country used to build things: transit lines, power plants, the housing people actually need. It largely does not anymore. Marc Dunkelman, a fellow at Brown University's Watson Institute for International and Public Affairs and author of Why Nothing Works: Who Killed Progress and How to Bring It Back, argues that the cause is not a lack of ambition but a system that allows almost anyone to slow almost anything down. He will explain how that gridlock took hold, why housing has borne the brunt of it, and what it takes to get unstuck and build anyway.🕑: 10:15 AM - 10:30 AMBreak🕑: 10:30 AM - 11:15 AMInside the ROAD to Housing Act: What the New Law Means for ArkansasHost: Mike KingsellaInfo: Mike Kingsella, CEO of Up for Growth, joins Chairman French Hill, Congressman – Arkansas’s Second Congressional District, at the summit to break down the 21st Century ROAD to Housing Act: what it actually does, why it managed to draw support across party lines, and where its provisions could make the most difference. The conversation moves from the details of the law itself to the practical question every attendee is really there for, what it means for housing supply, affordability, and policy in Arkansas specifically.🕑: 11:15 AM - 12:00 PMBy the Numbers: The State of Housing in ArkansasHost: Mervin JebarajInfo: Mervin Jebaraj, Director of the Center for Business and Economic Research at the Walton College of Business, presents the most current data on housing supply, cost, and demand across Arkansas, giving attendees a shared, evidence-based picture of where the state stands.🕑: 12:00 PM - 12:30 PMLunch- Provided🕑: 12:30 PM - 12:50 PMIntroducing Groundwork's Housing Agenda & 2026 Housing ChampionsHost: Duke McLartyInfo: This session offers a brief introduction to Groundwork's policy agenda for expanding housing access across Arkansas, built on months of research, coalition input, and conversations with communities across the state. Following the introduction, Groundwork will introduce this year's Housing Champion awardees, honoring the individuals and organizations whose advocacy and partnership helped bring this agenda to life.🕑: 12:50 PM - 01:45 PMWhat's at Stake: The Impact of Groundwork's Policy AgendaHost: Makinizi Hoover Info: Panelists Mackenzie Hoover of the U.S. Chamber of Commerce, Tushar Kansal of Pew Research, and Abby Hughes Holsclaw of Asset Funders Network dig into what Groundwork's agenda could mean for housing markets, employers, and the communities counting on more affordable options. 🕑: 02:30 PM - 03:30 PMKeynote: Rewriting the Rulebook- How Memphis Unlocked New HousingHost: John ZeanahInfo: John Zeanah, former Chief of Development and Infrastructure for the City of Memphis, tells the story of how a close, deliberate look at fire code requirements opened the door to housing types the city had effectively locked out for years. He'll walk through how Memphis identified the problem, built the case for changing it, and got the reform across the finish line, offering a concrete, replicable model for cities and states, Arkansas included, looking for practical ways to expand housing supply. - **Event URL**: https://allevents.in/little-rock/the-natural-state-housing-summit/100001998543538523 - **Event Categories**: business, art, literary-art, nonprofit, parties, entertainment - **Interested Audience**: - total_interested_count: 0 - **Event Highlights**: - Duration: 8 hours - Location: Robinson Center - Languages: English ## Ticket Details - **Ticket Price Range**: min: 23.18, max: 23.18, currency: USD ## Event venue details - **city**: Little Rock - **state**: AR - **country**: United States - **location**: Robinson Center - **lat**: 34.7492294 - **long**: -92.2744598 - **full address**: Robinson Center, 426 West Markham Street, Little Rock, United States ## Event gallery - **Alt text**: The Natural State Housing Summit - **Image URL**: https://cdn-az.allevents.in/events1/banners/223fc8b61bce7d9a753bc6c6fb3f86b0aa20664aadd292ad74510ace4a439238-rimg-w1200-h600-dc68c8e8-gmir.jpg?v=1787705223 ## FAQs - **Q**: When and where is The Natural State Housing Summit being held? - **A:** The Natural State Housing Summit takes place on Thu, 01 Oct, 2026 at 08:00 am to Thu, 01 Oct, 2026 at 04:00 pm at Robinson Center, 426 West Markham Street, Little Rock, United States. - **Q**: Who is organizing The Natural State Housing Summit? - **A:** The Natural State Housing Summit is organized by Northwest Arkansas Council. - **Q**: Who is this event for? Is it right for me? - **A:** The Natural State Housing Summit is ideal for professionals, entrepreneurs, startup founders, and networking enthusiasts eager to grow their connections. Whether you're a first-time attendee or a longtime enthusiast in Little Rock, this event is thoughtfully curated to deliver a standout experience worth every moment. 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