TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa city leaders are calling the city's homelessness crisis an epidemic.
The 3-H Homelessness Task Force made it clear: they won't stop trying to solve the homelessness crisis -- until they find the best solutions.
Tulsa's homeless population can be seen under bridges, near businesses, on the streets, and in neighborhoods.
Robbie Thames has lived in the Long View Estates for 54 years. She's also the HOA President. With over 700 homes, Thames said the neighborhood is kept in great shape, except by the back wall near the pool. Thames said it's turned into a homeless camp with trash and explicit graffiti.
"Everybody thinks I should fix it, but I don't have the authority to do that," Thames said.
2 News spoke with Thames on the same day Tulsa city leaders launched their Path to Home initiative. It's a central source for all programming related to homelessness, housing, and mental health in Tulsa.
"We need to have a central place where all the work we're doing as a city is housed and focused so that the communication on this is clear," Tulsa Mayor GT Bynum said at Tuesday's news conference.
The 3-H Homelessness Task Force – formed in 2022 - also released 33 action steps and four goals to find solutions.
The goals include:
- Housing production and preservation
- Outreach and early intervention
- Leverage and align funding
- Community standards and resources
These are all recommendations Bynum said the city will try until their list gets smaller.
"What we can do is test out every good idea that we come across that we can afford, see what works, and what works we double down on the funding and what doesn't, we'll pull back and try something else," Bynum said.
Despite the troubles, Thames supports the city's goals, "I do feel sorry for them, but I don't think it's all homeless."
A full overview of the Path to Home initiative and the recommendations can be found here.
For those who find themselves in need of homelessness services, a list compiled by the city of Tulsa can be found here.
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