Key to Home Partnership successfully houses 26 people from downtown encampments

Launched in 2023, the Key to Home Partnership is a collaboration of over 50 organizations working to prevent and end homelessness in Oklahoma City. Led by the City of OKC, the initiative aims to address homelessness differently through infrastructure and capacity, as well as reducing youth homelessness and chronic unsheltered homelessness. 

By combining public-private efforts and lived experiences, the Key to Home Partnership works to create a community where homelessness is rare. Most recently, the Key to Home Partnership successfully housed 26 individuals living in encampments near downtown and along Oklahoma City Boulevard. 

“We are thrilled at the progress we’ve made so far, and we look forward to continuing the work of the Encampment Rehousing Initiative because we are making real strides in reducing long-term, unsheltered homelessness in our community,” said Jamie Caves, Key to Home Partnership strategy implementation manager. 

Since September 2023, 332 people living outdoors have been placed in homes due to help from the Key to Home Partnership. This milestone surpasses the halfway mark of the Key to Home Partnership’s overall goal to rehouse 500 individuals experiencing unsheltered homelessness by the end of 2025 through the Encampment Rehousing Initiative. 

The Encampment Rehousing Initiative is a core component of the Key to Home Partnership’s mission to reduce homelessness through housing, outreach and support services. Through this initiative, partners engage with individuals in encampments and work to secure housing for everyone within 4 to 6 weeks. 

The Key to Home Partnership accomplished housing the 26 individuals with dedicated partners that include the staff from the Key to Home Partnership, Mental Health Association Oklahoma and Homeless Alliance whom all contributed in outreach and engagement with individuals in the encampments. City Rescue Mission secured the housing units, while Focus on Home furnished the apartments with essentials. 

The Oklahoma City Housing Authority (OCHA) provided rental subsidies, and case managers from the Homeless Alliance, Northcare, Catholic Charities and City Care will offer ongoing support to help individuals stabilize and recover over the next year. Healing Hands provided health screenings and emotional support assessments to ensure comprehensive care for all participants. 

“As we continue our efforts, we’re excited to honor the nonprofit service partners who’ve joined forces to achieve this milestone,” Caves said. “They’ve shown incredible teamwork and creativity, stepping up to new challenges to serve their clients, and we are grateful for their partnership. This achievement highlights their success and shows that we are always more effective working together.” 

According to the annual Point in Time count, over 1,800 people are currently experiencing homelessness on Oklahoma City’s streets. The city's homelessness crisis is driven by a complex mix of factors, including low wages, a shortage of affordable housing, rising eviction rates and inflation. The action plan goals remain on track to house 500 of our unsheltered neighbors by the end of 2025.