City Takes Steps to Meet Housing Needs; Residential Care Center on Track to Open this Fall

City Takes Steps to Meet Housing Needs; Residential Care Center on Track to Open this Fall

7/1/2024

Based on a year's worth of stakeholder engagement, the City of Tulsa has narrowed its search for a Residential Care Center facility to one preferred location at 3910 Park Road.

A Residential Care Center is a referral-based facility with individual apartments/rooms to help those in need who historically had barriers to service at other facilities. Based on the latest housing data, Tulsa needs 500 beds for those experiencing homelessness and the Care Center falls in line with the City's strategy to fill those needs.

"We have to get to a place where more Tulsans can get the resources they need to find permanent housing," Mayor G.T. Bynum said. "After an extensive search and an evaluation of more than 50 different potential sites in every area of our city, this location makes the most sense in terms of the space and reconfiguration needed, and we are eager to get it operational later this year."

When opened, the Residential Care Center will provide temporary housing for individuals or families who need services and support to return to permanent housing. The facility will welcome referred residents regardless of unique circumstances that may otherwise hinder their access to other housing options.

What the Residential Care Center IS:

• Referral-based facility
• Individual apartments
• Medical services
• 24-hour staff and security

What the Residential Care Center IS NOT:

• Walk-up facility
• Nighttime only facility
• Communal living space
• Mental crises facility

The Residential Care Center is a key component of the City's Path to Home initiative, which serves as a central source for all programming related to housing, homelessness, and mental health.

"In the last year, the 3H Task Force has relied on the experts in our community to provide ideas and solutions on the services that should be offered in the Residential Care Center," Council Chair Jeannie Cue said. "I would like to thank our City employees and the proposed property owner and operator for their work in developing this program."

In February of 2024, City Lights Foundation of Oklahoma was selected to operate the facility and case management program following the City's request for proposals that was released in November of 2023. Services provided will be unique to each participant's individual situation. The ultimate goal is to resolve the root cause(s) of each participant's homelessness and to help locate and prepare them for permanent housing within 120 days of them entering the program.

"We are excited to be part of this crucial initiative. Partnering with the City and our community, we are committed to creating a supportive atmosphere that tackles the immediate challenges faced by our community members experiencing homelessness," Sarah Grounds, Executive Director of City Lights Foundation, said. "There's a pressing need for this kind of support in Tulsa, and our goal is to help our neighbors find long-term stability and a sense of belonging."

Next steps in the process include:

• Additional stakeholder outreach - Summer 2024
• Board of Adjustment Special Exemption and Council Budget Amendments - Late Summer 2024
• Start Operations - Late Fall 2024

For more information on Path to Home and other housing, homelessness, and mental health recommendations, visit www.cityoftulsa.org/PathToHome.

Public link

Please use the above public link if you want to share this noodl on another website.