September Chamber Forum recap: OKC leaders’ approach to homelessness

There’s no question that individuals experiencing homelessness are vulnerable, and it’s important to remember that these individuals are a part of our community and economy. The rise in homelessness in Oklahoma City is not going unnoticed, and city leaders are determined to support these individuals with resources and access to improve the situation. 

On September 15, three city leaders joined the OKC Chamber CEO, Roy Williams on the stage at Vast for our monthly Chamber Forum. During the lunchtime event, the panel discussed homelessness in our community, ways to help break the cycle, and potential solutions for moving forward.

Panelists included Chief Wade Gourley, the Oklahoma City Police Department’s Chief of Police, Jerod Shadid, the Program Planner of Homeless Services from the City of Oklahoma City, and Dan Straughan, the Executive Director of the Homeless Alliance. Each panelist brought meaningful perspective and experience to the conversation.

Roy opened the discussion by asking the panelists about the state of homelessness in Oklahoma City. Dan Straughan said, “Long-term homelessness, what we call chronic homelessness, is only 22% of our total homeless population. 120,000 people in Oklahoma County live at or below poverty line…if you are a family of four living on $26,000 a year or less, we don’t have housing available, and that drives our numbers way more than mental illness.”

“The Coalition on Affordable Housing puts out a study every year on how much it costs to actually afford housing at minimum wage,” said Jerod Shadid. “Most people with a minimum wage job, even here in Oklahoma, have to work almost two jobs.”

Unfortunately, homelessness is linked to crime—for various reasons. People experiencing homelessness often interact with the justice system for low-level offenses like loitering or sleeping in unwelcome places. The homelessness-jail cycle is expensive for taxpayers and creates discomfort throughout the community.

There are things business owners and managers can do to drive people away from the streets and to the resources they need. Chief Wade Gourley said, “I have officers in our organization that are trained in Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design, and I am in the process of getting more officers certified…they can come out and meet with business owners and talk to them about things they are unintentionally doing that make it conducive for someone who is more transient to have access to what they need.” Some examples he provided included covering electrical outlets around businesses, increasing lighting, and placing gravel in grassy areas in order to make it less favorable for sleeping or setting up a tent. The less convenient the environment is in supporting a lifestyle of homelessness, the more likely an individual will be to find other options.

“It [getting someone into long term, sustainable housing] won’t happen while they are living under a bridge. But when you get them into housing and then wrap them around with the supportive services they need—mental healthcare, substance abuse treatment, education, job training, and placement services, you are ten times more likely to be successful,” said Straughan. A program called Housing First is helping aid in this success. Since the program was implemented in 2013, we’ve had a 90% one-year housing retention rate, which means that individuals who have been put into housing through the program are still in housing after one year.

Last year, during the pandemic, we were able to get 800 people into housing. “We’ve implemented a lot of the best practices around the country and around the world here in Oklahoma City,” said Straughan. “We have a coordinated entry system where most of our providers are using the same assessment tool. We have fairly robust information technology that allows agencies working with people experiencing homelessness to share data on shared clients.” By developing more affordable housing, we may prevent Oklahoma City from entering a larger economic problem surrounding the impact of homelessness.

“There are no simple solutions to these complicated problems. I hear all the time that this is not a law enforcement issue, yet we are the first to be called every time there is an issue. You have a lot of these folks that are in these situations for financial reasons. They don’t want to be homeless,” said Gourley. “I am hoping that through some of those changes that are occurring, it will give us the resources to better help them, because we’re going to encounter them every day…if we don’t have a place to take them, we are not going to solve any problems. It’s a very complicated issue and it’s tragic as a police officer when you deal with these individuals over and over and there is just not much you can do.”

Though the issue is complicated, our city is committed to unpacking it and taking steps toward positive change. One thing that the panel noted are the unexpectedly negative repercussions of our generosity as Oklahomans. It’s part of our culture to care for our neighbors, and many do so by providing meals or cash to folks on the streets. If people took the same amount of money that they are giving out and spending on food and instead donated it to some of the organizations that are connecting individuals with the resources they need for success, more people could be helped in a better, more sustainable way than simply a one-time handout – a point made by the panelists. In fact, giving to someone on the street oftentimes hinders the individual from getting longer-term help and makes it harder for those in the homeless support system to do their jobs and get people off the street.

“It may take talking to someone 80 to 100 times before they accept any help. It may take that long just to be able to catch what the issue is with someone and what is keeping them on the street,” said Shadid. “You have to dig deeper to find out what the problem is.”

Special thanks to Presenting Sponsor Cox Business and Corporate Sponsor ADG for their sponsorship of the Chamber Forum.