TULSA, Okla. — The City of Tulsa and City Lights Foundation are asking for the community’s input on where the low-barrier shelter that they plan to open by the end of this year should be located.
While they are looking at a number of different options, through a Request For Information, or RFI, Tulsans can suggest properties to make sure no piece of real estate is overlooked. Executive Director of City Lights Foundation Sarah Grounds said opening the conversation may help them identify a property that will support those in need as best they can.
"We are really looking at something that is very dignified, that really will be able to best support the people that were taking care of at that time and really set them up for success,” said Grounds. “We’re excited to have all the options on the table and to really look and find the perfect location for people.”
A low-barrier shelter speaks to the accessibility of any other shelter in the area. This facility would be referral-only but would accept people with medical conditions, mental health issues, and substance abuse issues, as well as people with animals.
Grounds said she and her team saw the size of the need when they operated a shelter hotel during the pandemic.
“Out of that, we saw a real need for something that was low-barrier, that allowed a non-congregate setting, for people to really be able to come in, to settle, to heal, and to start working on housing,” said Grounds.
For that reason, the City said it will be relying heavily on the City Lights Foundation to lead the way in supporting those experiencing homelessness. In the last three years, the City Lights Foundation has lost 25 clients. Grounds said that’s where the timeline to open the facility comes in so that unsheltered individuals don’t have to experience another winter without the resource.
City of Tulsa’s Housing Policy Director Travis Hulse hopes that Tulsans can help with this effort, especially if they know of a property that might not currently be on the market.
“We have a lot of different options that we’re already looking at, that are on the market that are actively being sold or for lease, but we know there’s probably something else out there that we don’t know about,” said Hulse. “It’s just an opportunity for us to make sure we’re doing our due diligence in seeing what all is out there and available as we continue to evaluate our options.”
Grounds said she sees this as a great opportunity for the community to come together, to not only have a say in where the facility could go but also support the effort in general.
“We all want to see the needle for homelessness move in a way that people are housed,” said Grounds. “I think we have to work together as a community to really find a place that allows us to best serve our neighbors experiencing homelessness… It’s a step for our community and I just am really excited and hopeful for all of the people that will come along side and that will help us make this such a successful program here in Tulsa.”
The goal is to have this shelter open by the end of the year, so leaders ask anyone submitting ideas to consider that timeline. Ideally, they would have the facility ready to go by Nov. 1 to avoid any winter weather problems.
To suggest a property, email the city at dtiemann@cityoftulsa.org. Responses are due by April 12 unless interest in the conversation dictates an extension.
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