Tulsa has seen a lot of growth over the years, but housing policy director Travis Hulse says there’s something missing.
“We have seen a lot of growth and development, primarily in single family development, you know, single detached homes and the large scale multifamily apartments, and not a whole lot in between” Hulse said.
Soon, builders hoping to construct mixed-use, “middle housing” in Tulsa will be able to choose from pre-existing plans the city has already approved. This is all part of the city’s Pre-Approved Housing Plan – and its latest Path to Home initiative.
Hulse said the city hopes to generate a variety of construction plans with anywhere from 12 to 20 different options for future builders. The plans will be drafted by a third-party consultant, and Hulse said the city hopes to release a request for proposals next month.
Mayor G.T. Bynum says he hopes the changes will make housing development “much faster and more predictable.”
The Tulsa City Council approved funding for the city housing plan earlier this month, along with a new job to lead the work.
The homeless program lead will oversee the Pre-Approved Housing Plan and other related initiatives. Hulse said the city aims to keep the position funded long term, but the first two years will be covered by federal American Rescue Plan grants.
Because the grant money must be used by the end of December 2027, the city will have to look to different revenue streams following those first two years.
District 8 City Councilor and Housing, Homelessness and Mental Health Task Force member Phil Lakin said adopting permit-ready homes is “one smart step forward.”
Hulse also said the plan is just one of many initiatives needed to fully address a housing shortage and homelessness in Tulsa.
“No one solution is going to solve it all,” he said. “This will address some of the needs within our community. It's a tool that we don't currently have, and we're trying to get creative.”
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