Ada is opening its first day center for people experiencing homelessness—a milestone that says something important about what’s happening across rural Oklahoma. More people are losing stable housing, and communities are finally starting to respond.
But here’s the catch: Nobody really knows how many people are homeless in rural Oklahoma. The federal Point-In-Time Count, conducted one day each January, works reasonably well in cities where volunteers can canvas shelters and known gathering spots. In rural areas spanning thousands of square miles? Not so much.
Sarah Frye, who directs Ada Homeless Services, puts it bluntly: “You could take the rural numbers, multiply by 10 and still not even be close to right.”
The Southeast Continuum of Care covers 21 counties—17,730 square miles including the Ouachita Mountains. This year’s count found 372 unsheltered people. Compare that to Oklahoma City’s count, which covers just 621 square miles with an army of trained volunteers.
The undercount has real consequences. HUD uses these numbers to determine grant funding. Community leaders struggle to advocate for resources without solid data. And people who are couch surfing or hiding in the woods to avoid anti-camping ordinances? They don’t get counted at all.
In Atoka, City Councilor Erica Pogue says the problem is invisible by design: “We’ve turned a blind eye to our homeless in rural places. I’m not sure how many there are, but it’s too many.”
The bigger issue, advocates say, isn’t perfecting the count—it’s building enough housing to meet the need.
Ginnie Graham has the full story.
More worth reading:
Oklahomans Brace for Higher Health Insurance Prices
More than 300,000 Oklahomans rely on the Affordable Care Act marketplace for health insurance, said Insurance Commissioner Glen Mulready. And of those, 97% are receiving some level of subsidy to offset their premiums. Most consumers will see their average insurance premiums increase by 29%. The loss of subsidies, coupled with premium increases, represents a double whammy for the consumer. [Oklahoma Voice]
State Campaign Finance Site Still Offline
Oklahoma’s campaign finance website has been offline for nearly three months, raising questions about access to public information ahead of a critical election year. Voters in 2026 will decide the state’s next governor, lieutenant governor, attorney general and state schools superintendent. But as those races heat up, voters can’t quickly find out how those candidates are raising money and what they are spending it on. [The Oklahoman ▲]
Obscure Law Leaves Millions on the Table for Schools
Oklahoma is the only state in the country that allows taxpayers to earmark part of their state income taxes for public and private schools — but some say schools are missing out on tens of millions of dollars because few people know it’s an option. A complex state law and limited marketing budgets make getting the word out and engaging donors difficult. [Tulsa Flyer]
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The Battle of Chusto-Talasah was fought on this day in 1861 in what is now Tulsa County. Confederate Colonel Douglas H. Cooper’s forces attacked Creek Chief Opothleyahola and his Creek and Seminole followers who refused to accept their nations’ alliance with the Confederacy.
Ciao for now,
Ted Streuli
Executive Director, Oklahoma Watch
tstreuli@oklahomawatch.org
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