Operators approved for two MAPS 4 projects
City officials approved operator agreements for two of the projects included in MAPS 4 during a recent Oklahoma City Council meeting.
Oklahoma County Diversion Hub Inc. was selected as the MAPS 4 Diversion Hub operating partner. Metro Technology Centers and adjoined organizations were selected as the operating partner for the Henrietta B. Foster Center.
MAPS 4 allocates $19 million to plan and construct a purpose-built facility for diversion. The hub may include case management, court case navigation, behavioral health, substance abuse, client support for employment, and educational services.
Oklahoma County Diversion Hub Board Chair, Sue Ann Arnall told the city the hub, "not only provides critical resources for the community, but it also serves as a place where barriers are removed and transformative change is possible."
Arnall furthered her thoughts on the hub's expected impact, stating that the creation of onsite access to resources and expanded services with additional local partners will benefit Oklahoma City's citizens involved in the criminal legal system.
While the Diversion Hub will consist of an entirely new facility for transformation, the Henrietta B. Foster Center will receive renovations to its existing building on North Lincoln Boulevard and Northeast 4th Street.
$15 million have been allocated to the project through the MAPS 4 initiative to construct a center for the development of new and small businesses, and entrepreneurship opportunities for neighborhood residents.
Jeremy Cowley, Senior Director, Student Affairs and Workforce Development at Metro Technology Centers told the city the tech centers will collaborate with local organizations like Progress OKC, NEOKC Renaissance, Oklahoma Small Business Development Center, and others to provide the center with necessary, quality resources.
“By providing workshops, technical assistance and connections to funding, our goal is to build a more connected, innovative and inclusive small business community in Oklahoma City,” Cowley told the city.
Both, development of the Diversion Hub and renovations to the Henrietta B. Foster Center will begin in the fall of 2023.
You can read more on upcoming MAPS 4 projects, and other related stories below:
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