High school students at Vanguard Academy in Broken Arrow spent a semester researching homelessness and working with community partners across Tulsa. Their projects included a food drive, coat drive and an educational video.

The post Inside a High School Project Tackling Homelessness appeared first on Oklahoma Watch.

Tenants who live in Jordan Lee’s Tulsa-area trailer parks have a less-than-luxurious existence. They’re struggling with toilets that won’t flush, lights that won’t turn on, rain that falls through ceilings, and, now, higher rents. Lee, who seeks investors, recently added three Green Country properties to his multi-state portfolio. He’s hiking up rates via illegal contracts while insisting vulnerable tenants lease-to-own units that aren’t habitable.

The post Trailer Park Owner Hikes Rents, Forces Tenants Into Rent-to-Own Deals appeared first on Oklahoma Watch.

Cuts to federal child care subsidies and SNAP benefits during a government shutdown are driving Oklahoma families into eviction court. A survey found 73% of those facing eviction believe lost SNAP benefits directly caused their housing crisis, with single mothers, disabled, and elderly residents hardest hit.

The post Federal Benefit Cuts Push Oklahoma Families Into Eviction Crisis appeared first on Oklahoma Watch.

Rural Oklahoma's homeless population is vastly undercounted due to challenges with the federal Point-In-Time census. Advocates say the count, designed for urban areas, fails to capture homelessness spread across thousands of rural square miles, affecting funding and community awareness even as demand for housing assistance grows.

The post Counting the Invisible: Why Rural Homelessness Stays Hidden appeared first on Oklahoma Watch.

During the government shutdown, when SNAP benefits were cut, many tenants found themselves forced to choose between paying rent and buying food. In the case of Kori Petty, she chose food. This caused her to be behind on her rent, and she was evicted.

The post SNAP Cuts Contributed to Evictions Across Oklahoma appeared first on Oklahoma Watch.

More older Americans are dying by gun suicide. The rate is particularly high in Oklahoma, and especially in rural counties.

The post Isolation, Illness and Guns: Why More Older Oklahomans Are Dying by Suicide appeared first on Oklahoma Watch.

Tulsa’s Blue Team is using a relationship-based model to help chronically homeless people with untreated mental illness find stability. The program has kept 42 of 43 clients housed, offering hope for a new statewide approach.

The post Tulsa’s Blue Team Builds Trust, Breaks Cycle of Chronic Homelessness appeared first on Oklahoma Watch.

Three lawyers file about half of Oklahoma County’s 18,000 annual eviction cases, a simple but lucrative practice worth hundreds of thousands per year.

The post Three Lawyers File More Than Half of Central Oklahoma’s 18,000 Annual Eviction Cases appeared first on Oklahoma Watch.

Nearly half of Oklahoma households struggled to afford necessities in 2023. The lack of income has priced many out of the housing market, leading to increased evictions. However, data shows that raising the state’s minimum wage could be an effective way to combat eviction rates.

The post Raising the Minimum Wage Could Reduce Eviction Rates, Data Shows appeared first on Oklahoma Watch.

The Landlord Tenant Resource Center in Tulsa has improved Tulsa’s eviction rates through a variety of services, including legal assistance, tenant education and an administrative order from the court. Advocates and lawyers in Oklahoma County are using it as a blueprint for eviction prevention projects.

The post Tulsa’s Eviction Rate Now Lower Than Oklahoma City’s appeared first on Oklahoma Watch.