TULSA, Okla. — April Miller is excited to be newly hired for a custodial job with Tulsa Public Schools. She's looking forward to her first paycheck March 16th.
But, before it is in the bank, Miller needs help paying four months back rent to avoid eviction.
She told 2 News she got behind after her her mother passed away, but now with help from Housing Solutions Landlord-Tenant Resource Center at Iron Gate she may be able to catch up and stay in her apartment.
"It'll help a whole lot so once I get if I get caught up and I'll be able to maintain," she said, "You know what I'm saying, me being having a new job, you know, it'll help out a lot."
"More than 13,000 eviction cases were filed in Tulsa County last year," according to Housing Solutions CEO, Mark Smith.
He adds, it puts an overwhelming burden on the court system and contributing to significant instability for households across the city.
A new bill at the state capitol seeks to assist tenants who are behind on their rent by allowing them more time to pay and avoid eviction.
Smith highlighted the urgency of the situation: “A lot of tenants get really short notice if they get notice at all about an eviction being filed.”
According to the Oklahoma Policy Institute, Oklahoma's eviction process is one of the fastest in the nation. Senator Julia Kirt remarked, “You actually could get evicted faster than you could get your utilities turned off in the winter."
Once a landlord files a “quit notice," tenants typically have only five days to pay all past-due rent or face an eviction hearing. If the court grants an eviction, they may have as little as 48 hours to vacate the premises. The proposed legislation aims to extend the window to pay overdue rent to ten days.
Senator Kirt added, “The quick eviction really encourages eviction instead of mediation or payment plans. Payment plans generally work better for landlords because they are receiving payments rather than having to rent the place again and prepare it for new tenants.”
Recent statistics show Oklahoma has experienced significant eviction challenges, with more than 45,000 cases recorded in Tulsa County alone between March 2020 and March 2024. Concerns about rapid evictions contributing to homelessness have prompted advocates to call for changes in the process.
The Senate Judiciary Committee is scheduled to discuss the proposed measure on Tuesday, and Senator Kirt anticipates strong pushback from landlords.
Smith said, “Having a little bit more time would encourage landlords to work with tenants on payment plans or negotiations. It leads to better outcomes for all.”
Here is a summary of Senate Bill 128 filed by Senator Kirt:
SB 128 extends the minimum time a person must appear in court for eviction proceedings relating to nonpayment after a summons is issued from 5 days to 10 days after the issuance of the summons. The measure establishes that such summon shall not request the appearance of a person in court more than 15 days after the summons is issued. The measure requires the summons to be delivered at least 7 days before the scheduled hearing instead of 3 days or 5 days before certain trials.
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