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.

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.

Barbara Grimm was evicted after several disputes with her landlord. The first time around, the landlord had filed the improper paperwork, and an attorney caught it. The second time, she was not represented and signed a judgment before going before the judge. The attorney said that if more tenants were represented and able to go before the judge, there could be more positive outcomes for those being evicted.

The post Grimm Eviction Highlights Legal Representation Gap appeared first on Oklahoma Watch.

A photo essay showing the work of Oklahoma County Sheriff’s Deputy Davine Hopkins as she serves evictions.

The post Evictions Through the Lens of a Law Enforcement Officer 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.

Those displaced by Operation SAFE have found new barriers preventing them from accessing resources, and forcing them onto city property due to the order from the governor.

The post Operation SAFE Displacements Add Barriers to Resources appeared first on Oklahoma Watch.

A quarter of Oklahoma renters are considered extremely low income, according to the National Low Income Housing Coalition, and affordable housing is scarce, factors that contribute to the state’s high eviction rate.

The post Lack of Affordable Housing Prices Out Oklahoma Renters appeared first on Oklahoma Watch.

32,300 people, including 18,400 children, are at risk of eviction or homelessness in Oklahoma due to the proposed rental assistance time limit by the federal government. Experts in the state said the arbitrary timeline in rental assistance is not going to fix the fact that Oklahoma renters are struggling to keep their housing.

The post Proposed HUD Timeline Puts Working Families At Risk Of Eviction appeared first on Oklahoma Watch.