Mayor Nichols Signs Executive Order to Focus Priorities Aimed at Increasing Shelter Capacity, Creating Long-term Solutions for Winter Weather Shelters, Efficiently Decommissioning Encampments and Reducing Evictions
Today, Mayor Nichols was joined by City Councilors, Housing Solutions for Tulsa, tribal and community partners to announce steps to help address homelessness in Tulsa. Mayor Nichols issued an executive order aimed at addressing the many issues the city faces surrounding homelessness which aligns with the goals of the Mayor, Council, and the Path to Home recommendations made by the Mayor/Council 3H Task Force.
“As we work to reach functional zero homelessness by 2030, which means that homelessness is rare, brief and non-recurring, we are establishing the framework today that will allow us to reach the goals we have set for ourselves," Mayor Monroe Nichols said. "It’s going to take all of us across the private and public sectors to reach this historic milestone in five years, but I’m proud that we are setting the precedent now.”
The City understands that homelessness will not be solved overnight, but the steps outlined in the Executive Order shifts resources to support the goals that have been established directly related to homelessness:
"When Tulsans resolve to do something good for others, it gets done. I have great confidence the same will be said about homelessness, though the road is long and the process is complex," said City Council Chair Phil Lakin, Jr. " Tulsa voters recently appropriated $75M to address our housing and homeless issues, which will be blended with the $100s of millions that come from other sources, including the philanthropic sector, which has carried this homeless responsibility on its own for decades. Tulsa needed to step it up, and we did. Know that your government understands the impact of this issue on all of its residents, not just those who are homeless. We want every, single person to be safe and for our city to be clean again, free of litter, tents, and graffiti. Please be patient with us. We have a plan, are working it, and results will be clear and apparent as facilities and new living communities are built and opened."
Not only is the City taking a laser focus on addressing homelessness in the community, at the same time, work to address Tulsa’s housing shortage, including increasing transitional and affordable housing, is underway and resources have been dedicated to further improve permitting and development work. Based on community data, the number one cause of homelessness is the lack of affordable housing, which these institutional changes work to address.
"We appreciate Mayor Nichols' leadership and dedication to addressing homelessness in Tulsa," said Mark Smith, Housing Solutions CEO. "This executive order reinforces the city’s focus on real solutions based on best practices, grounded in treating our most vulnerable neighbors with dignity and collaborative efforts that support those in need. Housing Solutions and A Way Home for Tulsa will continue working alongside city leadership and our partners to create lasting pathways to housing and stability for all."
The executive order establishes the following steps to help address homelessness:
Creation of Encampment Decommissioning Team – Historically, City of Tulsa staff has not had a strategic direction for encampment decommissioning. In the next month, an Encampment Decommissioning Team will be created using employees from existing City departments. The team will be tasked with safely and efficiently relocating unhoused individuals from their encampments to partner providers, provide encampment cleanup, and dissolve the site from further use. The team will work in coordination with A Way Home for Tulsa service providers and tribal partners to effectively support those who will be relocated as they move on a path of permanent housing and provide a sustainable, cost-effective alternative to encampment maintenance and repeated clearing.
The City will also be utilizing a mobile app for internal use that provides real-time data on encampment locations, occupancy, and footprint, and it will be used to assist the Encampment Decommissioning Team. Based on a recommendation from the 3HTask Force Path to Home recommendations, the City has also hired a Homeless Coordinator that will provide coordination efforts for this team.
Strategic Plan for Winter Weather Shelter - In the next 90 days, the Mayor will present a plan for the implementation of a winter weather shelter to serve individuals in need of a safe and warm place to go during the months of November – March. This will be Tulsa’s first winter weather shelter open for extended use, not specific to one severe weather event. The shelter will provide protection for our unhoused and housing insecure community members through the winter months.
During the latest winter weather event, 1,457 individuals were sheltered at numerous locations throughout Tulsa at shelters organized by community partners. Currently, there is a 100% utilization of emergency shelter beds during severe weather events.
The Mayor and Council are also discussing options for extreme weather resources as it relates to shelter space.
Strategic Plan to Increase Shelter Capacity - In the next three months, the Mayor will present a plan for the expansion of shelter capacity to meet the needs of Tulsa's increased unsheltered population. The increased shelter space will provide access to social services and housing navigation assistance through coordination of a citywide partnership. The goal is to provide additional space for individuals and families who recently fell into homelessness, those experiencing chronic homelessness, and those leaving encampments.
The 2024 Point in Time count identified 1,389 individuals experiencing homelessness. Additionally, the number of individuals utilizing shelters increased in 2022 and 2023, highlighting the immediate need for accessible, temporary housing solutions. Seventy-three percent of those responding to the Point in Time count reported first experiencing homelessness within Tulsa, reinforcing the necessity for local solutions to this community issue.
As the City and community work together to increase shelter space in Tulsa, the City's efforts will focus on opening a true low barrier shelter. In comparison, the City of Tulsa has been working for the past year to add additional transitional living options, such as the apartments identified at the Residential Center located near the airport, which are expected to be available later this year. True low barrier shelters typically reduce barriers of entry and make them more accessible to people who might otherwise avoid or not be accepted into traditional shelters or transitional living facilities.
Mayor's Coalition on Eviction Mitigation - In the next 90 days, a Mayor’s Coalition on Eviction Mitigation will be created and will regularly review strategies and implement changes based on real-time data. City of Tulsa staff will work directly with the Landlord Tenant Resource Center, the Eviction Strategy Group, and the Eviction Data Working Group to identify opportunities to strengthen the City’s involvement in eviction prevention and develop additional strategies where the City can mitigate the impact of eviction on individuals and families. The City will be an active partner in addressing the underlying causes of evictions and provide support to vulnerable tenants before they face homelessness.
This coalition will help address the staggering issues that exist in our community today. As of November 2024, 2,600 Tulsa Public Schools students identified as homeless and over the last three years, nearly 4,400 evictions were filed against families of students who attend Tulsa Public Schools.
For more information on the Mayor's priorities, please visit www.cityoftulsa.org/mayor.
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