Oklahoma City Housing Authority taking the lead on the fight against homelessness

Plans to decrease homelessness with new housing are underway as the Oklahoma City Housing Authority (OCHA) works to close the affordable housing gap many people face.  

OCHA recently received more than 10 million dollars from The Metropolitan Area Projects (MAPS 4). This money is just one part of five allocations over an eight to 10-year period going toward different housing projects throughout Oklahoma City. 

One of many projects in the works is the revamp of an empty motel on East Reno Avenue and Martin Luther King Avenue.  

The plan is to revamp it into affordable housing. 

“One of the things that we really believe in is that it's not just one part of the city or one neighborhood that needs to be at the forefront of affordable housing development or trying to end homelessness, that really all neighborhoods should be a part of the solution,” said Gregory Shinn, Assistant Executive Director of Development and Revitalization for OCHA.  

Shinn said the housing gap is at lower income levels but sometimes higher. 

He said the gap spans below 30 and 80 percent of the area's median income. 

Added to this are those experiencing homelessness, which includes veterans, who are completely priced out of the market creating a massive gap.  

“It's unacceptable, so unacceptable for veterans who served our country to be homeless on the streets. we can do better than that. that's not the Oklahoma standard,” said Shinn.  

Shinn said that, within the state of Oklahoma, there is a shortage of about 77,000 affordable housing units.  

He said some of the new projects will be old homes that need to be demolished, torn down and rebuilt. 

A portion will be dedicated to housing plus services. 

“It's housing that's intended for people experiencing homelessness that may or may not have disabling conditions. and there are some different subpopulations that we're trying to address, including families, youth, veterans,” added Shinn.  

Shinn said according to research numbers, homelessness increased in Oklahoma City this year by 28 percent and attributes this to a lack of affordable housing.   

Shinn adds more than 220 units in the pipeline for development with some of those beginning this summer.