Tulsa’s new plan to tackle homelessness

initiative. This citywide effort, spearheaded by the Mayor/council Housing, Homelessness, and Mental Health (3H) Task Force, aims to consolidate and enhance the resources available to the community in these critical areas.

Announced on April 9, the Path to Home initiative is set to become the central hub for all related programs, offering a streamlined approach to tackle the issues at hand. The initiative was unveiled alongside a detailed plan consisting of four main goals and 33 actionable steps, designed to advance the city's efforts in combating homelessness and improving mental health services and housing availability.

Mayor G.T. Bynum emphasized the importance of this initiative at the launch.

“Homelessness is an issue every major city is facing, and the City of Tulsa, along with our service providers, are doing a large amount of work in this space,” Bynum said. “As part of the Path to Home initiative, we want Tulsans to have Hrsthand knowledge of the solutions in place to help those suffering from chronic homelessness, highlight the policies in place to increase our housing stock and bring attention to the programs available for those suffering a mental health crisis.”

This new initiative not only highlights existing programs but also outlines future plans and development strategies, providing the public with a transparent view of both current efforts and upcoming projects. It also focuses on how local residents can get involved and support these initiatives.

The Path to Home initiative has already seen signihcant investment and results:

- Over 50 city programs and strategies have been developed to tackle these issues.

- $125.7 million has been allocated to related projects since 2023.

- Programs like A Better Way, which diverts panhandlers into employment opportunities, have assisted 2,675 Tulsans since 2020.

- The construction of 1,437 new housing units has been approved since last year.

- The Tulsa Financial Empowerment Center has helped reduce more than $1 million in resident debt since its inception.

Council Chair and 3H Task Force member Jeannie Cue praised the community's involvement in shaping the initiative.

“We received incredible feedback from organizations that helped guide the strategies we will be implementing as a community,” Cue said. “Some organizations identihed the need for more programs, while others identihed the addition of resources to increase the footprint of existing programming. This work has truly been a community effort - we didn't come up with the solutions by ourselves and we can't implement this alone either.”

The 3H Task Force, established in 2023, has been actively engaging with stakeholders to tailor its recommendations, ensuring they are both effective and inclusive. Initially, nine key program and policy recommendations were introduced, with most nearing completion. The task force plans to continue this collaborative approach as it begins the formal implementation phase of its recommendations.

Future steps for the task force include closely monitoring the progress and effectiveness of the implemented actions, further collaborating with departmental and service provider partners, and seeking council approval for the use of Improve Our Tulsa funds.

For residents interested in learning more about the Path to Home initiative or to view the full list of recommendations, the city has provided detailed information on their o cial website at www.cityoftulsa.org/pathtohome. This platform not only offers insight into the strategic goals and actions but also serves as a comprehensive resource for those looking to contribute to or beneht from the initiative. (La Semana)