Tulsa officials said Thursday the city has closed two homeless encampment sites as part of the mayor’s Safe Move Tulsa initiative. So far, 55 people have been housed as part of the $10 million effort to end street homelessness by providing people with housing and services.
“We are really excited today to close two encampments at the same time with 30 individuals over a 30 week period — something we have not been able to do before here in Tulsa,” said Housing Solutions CEO Mark Smith.
Mayor Monroe Nichols joined Smith on Thursday to walk through the now-closed encampment site located deep in a wooded area behind Lowe’s on 71st and U.S. 169. Bags of various items, clothes, shopping carts and other objects were spread throughout the site.
The location was once home to at least 100 people, but many of them had left prior to the city’s encampment clearing. Over the past two years, Tulsa police fielded more than 100 calls to the area and the city’s fire department responded at least 250 times, according to the city.
This week, Tulsa officials cleared the remaining five people from the site and offered them housing options. Two people left voluntarily, the city said, but did not accept outreach efforts.
Since Safe Move launched in November, Smith said, they’ve learned not everyone is willing to accept services.
“The vast majority of people that we have worked with at these locations do accept services and are moving into housing,” Smith said. “For those individuals who may not be ready or don’t engage with us, we will continue to work with them.”
The other three people were housed through YWCA Tulsa. Julie Davis, the organization’s CEO, told the Flyer caseworkers are assigned to each client at cleared sites. Once each person is moved into housing, the caseworker develops a plan for the individual. For some people who deny help, caseworkers still exchange contact information, Davis said.
She said the assistance they provide can range from “a health plan, connecting them to mental health resources, substance abuse treatment (or) figuring out what employment and what people are eligible for benefits.”
Safe Move Tulsa faced obstacles months ago during Gov. Kevin Stitt’s Operation SAFE, which used state troopers to clear encampments on state property in Tulsa. Service workers voiced concerns and frustration with Stitt’s plan, saying it disrupted the city’s goal of connecting people with long-term solutions.
Since then, Nichols’ administration has administered a review from outside firm Clutch Consulting Group that assessed the steps needed to end street homelessness in Tulsa — a goal the mayor wants to reach by 2030.
“I think what we have found is that it is a group effort,” Nichols said Thursday. “When you work together, you can take a difficult situation like this one and get people housing support.”
Other encampment closures
The city closed a site on E. 4th Place and 129th East Avenue, located behind a McDonalds south of I-44. Twenty-seven people were housed from this site, while three people left without accepting the city’s housing services. Officials also placed 12 dogs and six cats in care.
Eagle’s Nest, located near the River Spirit Casino, was fully cleared and restored. The city collected 61.1 tons of debris and 25 people were housed. Homeless residents have not returned to the site since, according to the city.
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