TO: Mayor and Members of City Council
THRU: Jodi Phelps, Assistant City Manager
FROM: Christopher Cauley, MPA, Director of Economic and Community Development
DATE: February 23, 2026
RE:Title
Murchison Choice Neighborhoods 2025 Grant Application Partnership Certification and Leverage Letter
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COUNCIL DISTRICT(S):
Council District(s)
Districts 2, 3, 4
b
Relationship To Strategic Plan:
Goal II: Responsive City Government supporting a diverse and viable economy
2.2: Community Revitalization - Invest in community places to ensure revitalization and increase quality of life
Goal III: City Investment in Today & Tomorrow
3.2 Manage the City's future growth and strategic land use
Goal IV: Desirable Place to Live, Work and Recreate
4.5 Neighborhood Vitality - Ensure a place to live in great neighborhoods
Executive Summary:
City staff in partnership with the Fayetteville Metropolitan Housing Authority (FMHA) are making final preparations to submit the Murchison Choice Implementation Grant by March 9, 2026. City Council is asked to authorize the Mayor to sign a leverage letter documenting planned and future leverage to support the Murchison Choice Implementation effort. Council is also asked to authorize the City Manager to execute a Choice Partnership Certification with the FMHA, Pennrose, and Urban Strategies, Inc. (USI).
Background:
In December of 2020, the City of Fayetteville, in partnership with the FMHA, was awarded a HUD Choice Neighborhoods Planning Grant for the Murchison neighborhood. Through the Grant, the City and FMHA have worked with residents and a variety of community stakeholders - including nonprofits, faith-based organizations, anchor institutions, supportive services agencies, businesses, and others - to create a forward-looking Transformation Plan. The Plan is centered on redevelopment of FMHA's Murchison Townhouses, which includes 60 units of low-income public housing. The Transformation Plan seeks to replace 10...
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