TULSA, Okla. — Affordable housing is in the national spotlight amid skyrocketing rents and home prices in recent years.
Now, the City of Tulsa is asking for feedback on bettering the situation.
A 2023 housing assessment found over the next decade Tulsa needs to add nearly 13,000 housing units across all income levels to meet needs. It also concluded approximately $37 million in gap funding is needed yearly.
To meet its goals on schedule, the city is seeking federal grant dollars to help create more affordable units and keep them that way. Officials want to hear from Tulsans at a public meeting on Wednesday night.
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development calls it the Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing Grant (PRO Housing Grant).
Tulsa’s grant application follows other HUD grants it received in the past few years to spur projects across the city.
One is the River West project, which a Tulsa Housing Authority official told 2 News lifted area residents' average yearly income from $4,000 to $25,000. Another is the 36N project, a planned mixed-use and mixed-income community in north Tulsa that broke ground on June 27.
RENT & MORTAGE NUMBERS ACROSS GREEN COUNTRY
2 News crunched those numbers — starting with a look at rent prices across Green Country, according to RentCafe.
This past July, the average monthly rent for an 82-square-foot apartment in the City of Tulsa was $968.
This varies between neighborhoods. The most expensive Tulsa neighborhoods are the Greenwood Historical District, Pearl District, and Tracy Park — each averaging $1,677.
Other pricey areas around Green Country include:
- Jenks ($1,236)
- Broken Arrow ($1,191)
- Bixby ($1,120)
On other hand, some lower-cost areas are Claremore at $860 and Bartlesville at $857.
As for homeowners, with an average yearly household income of nearly $42,822, only 70.40% of the population paid off their mortgages. That’s according to the Office of Departmental Grants Management and Oversight, citing the latest research.
The average home value in Oklahoma is $104,300.
WHAT IS THE PRO HOUSING GRANT?
But now, the City of Tulsa is applying for the PRO Housing Grant. (Click here for more information.)
This competitive grant helps communities identify and remove barriers to affordable housing production and preservation. Such barriers may include restrictive zoning, long permitting processes, or bad infrastructure.
The goal is to grow the supply of affordable units and lower housing costs over the long term.
HUD's strategic goals and objectives for PRO Housing include:
- Removing barriers to affordable housing production and preservation through improved laws, regulations, and zoning;
- Promoting equitable housing development that affirms fair housing, addresses racial and economic disparities, and provides access to high-opportunity areas;
- Preventing displacement and ensuring affordable housing production supports long-term community stability;
- Encouraging innovative, collaborative approaches from local governments and stakeholders.
Some promises the city makes in its draft grant application are:
- Housing Project Coordinator: The City will establish a Housing Project Coordinator position to streamline development processes, ensuring smoother and faster housing production. This position will guide developers through zoning, permitting, and approvals, which have historically caused delays and added costs.
- Pre-Approved Plans Program: The City will implement a pilot program for pre-approved architectural plans for housing development (ADUs, duplexes, triplexes). This will reduce design and approval time, making it easier for non-profits and developers to build affordable housing quickly.
- Process Improvements and Zoning Code Reforms: The City will undertake a process improvement initiative to streamline permitting and revise zoning codes to make housing development more feasible, particularly in areas targeted for affordable housing and infill development.
- Affordable Housing Priority Program: This program will create a fast-track approval process for affordable housing projects, aligning city resources and programs with partner support to accelerate the delivery of mixed-income housing.
- Vacant Property Acquisition: The City will acquire and prepare vacant sites for housing development, eliminating entitlement risk and reducing development costs to attract private and nonprofit developers.
On Sept. 25, there is a 5 p.m. public hearing at City Hall for Tulsans to share feedback about the draft grant application. The hearing will take place inside the Council Chambers on the second floor.
People can also email their thoughts to grantsadmin@cityoftulsa.org before the public comment period ends Sunday, Oct. 6.
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