Seventy-five million dollars from the latest Improve Our Tulsa (IOT) sales tax extension was formally earmarked this evening to go toward housing investments in Tulsa.
The move comes after Tulsa voters approved the IOT sales tax extension in August of 2023, part of which was dedicated to addressing housing needs in Tulsa.
“With the latest round of Improve Our Tulsa, Tulsans made the single-greatest investment in housing in our city’s history,” Mayor G.T. Bynum said. “I am thankful for the voters that made this possible, and for the incredible work of our 3H Task Force and community partners up to this point. This step taken today moves Tulsa one step closer in helping increase our housing stock."
Following the release of the formal Mayor/Council 3H Task Force Path to Home Recommendations earlier this year, $75 million is now earmarked to be spent in the following ways:
Housing Grant Fund, $25 million
Leverage other programs, such as the Low-Income Housing Tax Credit (LIHTC) to increase the supply of affordable housing for households at or below the 60% area median income.
Housing Investment Fund, $7 million
Deploy revolving funds to increase the supply of affordable housing for households earning up to 120% of the area median income.
Housing Acquisition Fund, $10 million
Acquire strategic sites across the city to produce housing units.
Housing Infrastructure, $25 million
Invest in strategic areas where increase in capacity could enable more housing development with focus on projects that will utilize existing public infrastructure.
Housing Preservation & Rehabilitation, $5 million
Preserve housing by investing in rehabilitation of vacant and abandoned housing units.
Administrative Costs, $350,000
Ensure the program’s funds have proper administrative oversight.
Outcome Evaluation, $150,000
Establish metrics and evaluate the outcomes of the different programs in terms of number of units produced, leverage, and affordability.
Bond Issuance & Interest Costs, $2.5 million
Advance funding to get projects committed financing.
"Housing is not only an essential human need, but a part of the City's economic development strategy," District 8 City Councilor Phil Lakin said. "The voter-approved IOT3 Housing funds provide a unique opportunity to leverage other public, private, and philanthropic dollars to meet this critical need. This recommendation comes after many months of evaluating successful models in similar-sized cities and engaging with local nonprofit and philanthropic partners. Our housing supply, regardless of income level, is low, and we have a chance to resolve many facets of this crisis, for those who are homeless and those are moving from home-to-home. I hope this is the beginning of our collective efforts to address this important issue.”
Path to Home Recommendations Update
Eighty-eight percent of the 3H Task Force’s Path to Home Recommendations are either in progress or are ongoing.
Most recently, the City hired a Homeless Program Lead who is expected to start in November. That position will serve as the City’s point of contact and liaison for homelessness services, including service provider contractor coordination and efforts requiring collaboration with community partners.
The City has also created an Emergency Temporary Housing Program in partnership with the Tulsa Day Center and is allocating $8 million to operate a Residential Care Center. To help prevent homelessness, since 2020, the City has allocated more than $20 million to rental assistance programs.
For more information about Path to Home, including an updated list of accomplishments and progress being made on the 33 recommendations, visit www.cityoftulsa.org/pathtohome.
ABOUT PATH TO HOME:
The Path to Home Initiative is a central source for all programming as it relates to homelessness, housing, and mental health within the City of Tulsa. The initiative gives a comprehensive overview of all programming and policy work at the local government level focused on helping individuals experiencing homelessness or struggling with mental health, promoting citywide housing efforts, and supporting the work of dedicated service providers. To learn more about the Path to Home Initiative, visit www.cityoftulsa.org/pathtohome