Oklahoma City Releases Annual Count Of Homeless Population

Oklahoma City released the annual count of the city's homeless population, acknowledging more than 1,400 people experiencing homelessness in the city.

According to the city, 1,436 people were counted, slightly up from 1,339 in 2022.

As part of the count, officials released demographics for the city's homeless population:

1. 9% of the population are veterans
2. 20% are members of families with children
3. 36% are female, 62% are male, 1% are transgender and 1% are nonconforming
4. 48% are white, 32% are black, 7% are Native American, 12% identify as multiple races and 1% identify as Native Hawaiian or Pacific Islander
5. 11% are youth aged 24 or younger
6. 23% of the population reports mental illness
7. 28% are considered “chronically” homeless
8. 54% were staying in a shelter, 13% in transitional housing and 31% unsheltered

Despite the jump in the number of people experiencing homelessness, some officials said it may not mean that homelessness is growing in the city.

“We believe last year’s count was artificially low,” executive director of the Homeless Alliance Dan Straughan said. “The 2022 count took place the first week of March, rather than the usual last week of January timeframe. There are lots of variables that impact the count, including weather and time of the month. I believe that we may have encountered several of those factors last year.”

As part of Key to Home, the city's new initiative to end homelessness, the city and service providers said they hope to reduce the number of chronic homeless people by 75% by 2025 through an innovative encampment rehousing initiative.