Program aims to rebuild lives of Tulsa’s homeless

EMILY ANN HOLMAN

Published: July 21, 2009

TULSA — A mental health association in Tulsa is giving about 200 former homeless people a chance to start over.

Building Tulsa, Building Lives was designed to provide affordable housing.

It also offers support services to keep residents off the streets — employment opportunities and treatment for mental illnesses or substance abuse.

Of those being helped, 65 are described as chronically homeless — those who have been homeless one year or more, or who were homeless at least four times in three years.

"These are the people that use the vast majority of the services and never get unstuck from the system,” said Associate Director Greg Shinn.

The program is focusing on ending chronic homelessness by 2012 in Tulsa.

Dan Straughan, executive director of the Homeless Alliance, said Oklahoma City’s Homes for the Homeless plan is similar to Building Tulsa, Building Lives, but doesn’t always include the live-in staff and supportive services.

Straughan said Oklahoma City has about 1,470 homeless people, while Tulsa has about 600. The money needed to start a program such as Building Tulsa, Building Lives keeps Oklahoma City from following Tulsa’s footsteps.

"It’s hard to get a community to say ‘Oh, it would cost us less, so let’s do it.’ Tulsa has sold it to their community,” he said.

However, Straughan said the city and the state are using a federal funding program that will provide $2.5 million for a resource center and day shelter for the homeless.

The resource center allows the city to concentrate homeless services while dispersing housing citywide.

"It would function as a one-stop shop so that no matter what your issues are, we have the resources in one place to help you get out of homelessness,” Straughan said.