Oklahoma Gov. Kevin Stitt is launching an operation in Tulsa to clear encampments where people are living in tents and other temporary structures.
"Tulsa is a beautiful city," Stitt said in a news release. "I lived there for years. But today, everybody can see the disaster it's turning into— homeless people on every corner, trash piling up, and Oklahoma families are being forced to live in fear."
Stitt blames Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols for a lack of action. He said he's instructed the state's Department of Transportation to put up notices telling people camped along highways to clear the area and for the Oklahoma Highway Patrol to clear people experiencing homelessness off state land.
Stitt's office says state troopers will give people two options: a ride to a treatment or housing facility or a ride to jail.
"This is the city's job, but Mayor Nichols and Tulsa leadership haven't met the level of action needed to keep neighborhoods safe," Stitt said. "Oklahoma is going to step in to do our part and clean it up. Once we've done so, it'll be on the City to keep Tulsa clean and safe. If they refuse, then we'll be forced to take further action to protect Tulsans."
In response, Nichols called Stitt an "unserious person."
"Crime is down in all categories, and homelessness, which grew by over 20% the year before I took office, grew by only 4% this year," he said in a statement. "We have a long way to go, but we are making progress and will continue to do so. I will not be distracted or deterred from doing what we know is necessary to end this crisis in Tulsa."
Recently, providers across the state and in Tulsa have struggled to keep up with demand for their services, and they're facing cuts of about $40 million.
Stitt's move comes just weeks after Tulsa's City Council allocated $6 million to a program called the Safe Move Tulsa Rehousing Plan. That plan would have ensured tailored support for around 300 people for up to one year, including mental health care, addiction and rental assistance services.
"Tulsa remains in dire need of more housing and I'm thankful for the work that so many are doing in Tulsa to make an impact," Mayor Nichols said in a statement when the program passed the city council in August. "Thanks to strong momentum, we're working toward our goal of adding more housing units as quickly as we can
Carrie Blumert, the chief executive officer of Mental Health Association Oklahoma, said her organization is concerned Stitt's program won't address the root causes of homelessness.
"Using Highway Patrol to clear encampments will not only traumatize Oklahomans trying to survive out in the elements but it does nothing to increase our supply of affordable housing and supportive services," Blumert said in a press release. "Oklahomans desperately need more resources from our state government to address the root causes of homelessness, not push the issue to another street corner because we think it looks ugly."
She asked Stitt to "rethink" his plan and instead, direct resources to affordable housing, treatment and services in Tulsa.
Nichols, who took office in November, campaigned on a promise to end homelessness by the year 2030. He said his mission is to make homelessness "rare, brief and non-recurring."
Stitt's encampment-clearing operation comes alongside a wave of policies targeting people experiencing homelessness. Last month, the Tulsa City Council approved an ordinance restricting where people can sit, stand or lie down along city streets. The city also recently placed large boulders on Fourth Street, near Tulsa's Metrolink station, where people often congregated.
This report was produced by the Oklahoma Public Media Exchange, a collaboration of public media organizations. Help support collaborative journalism by donating at the link at the top of this webpage.
