Affordable Housing

DRAFT | Third Year Annual Action Plan |2022-2023 | DRAFT

Table of Contents | Executive Summary | The Process | Expected Resources | Annual Goals and Objectives | Affordable Housing | Program Specific Requirements

Introduction

The City will utilize CDBG, HOME, ESG and HOPWA funds to support the following affordable housing goals.

Non-homeless households:

• CDBG will support the rehabilitation of 160 housing units.
• HOME will support 40 housing units.
• ESG will support 28 households with homelessness prevention assistance.

Special-needs households:

• HOPWA will support 118 households/persons with TBRA and STRUMU.

Tulsa CARES will utilize HOPWA funds to support 118 households/persons with Tenant Based Rental Assistance (TBRA) and Short Term Mortgage Rent Utility Assistance (STRUMU). Rental assistance will be provided in the form of Homelessness Prevention to 28 persons with ESG funds managed by Family Safety Center and Salvation Army. A total of 146 households/persons will be served.

The rehabilitation of owner occupied units will be funded with both CDBG and HOME. CDBG funds will provide homeowners up to $7,500 to carryout energy conservation and other repairs to ensure safe and sanitary living conditions. HOME funds will provide loans up to $35,000 for major repairs of owner occupied housing. CDBG funds will support 160 housing units and HOME 12 housing units.

HOME assistance will be provided to 25 low to moderate income households to purchase their first home.

HOME funds will also be used towards the rehabilitation of three apartment complexes resulting in 28 additional HOME units.

Table 59 - One Year Goals for Affordable Housing by Support Requirement

Table 60 - One Year Goals for Affordable Housing by Support Type

Discussion

The number for Special-Needs is not duplicated in the other categories.

AP-60 Public Housing

Introduction

The City will continue to support public housing projects during the Consolidated Plan. The City will help support Tulsa Housing Authority with CDBG funds toward infrastructure improvements, specifically associated with the 2017 Choice Neighborhood Initiative award.

Actions planned during the next year to address the needs to public housing

Tulsa Housing Authority was awarded $335,000 this program year to support the Choice Neighborhood Initiative. Funds will be used for infrastructure improvements throughout the project property, which may include but are not limited to, sidewalks and clearance and demolition activities.

Actions to encourage public housing residents to become more involved in management and participate in homeownership

The Housing Authority of the City of Tulsa (THA) provides Resource Centers at each of the remaining 6 public housing family communities. A computer lab is furnished on-site with updated systems and high-speed internet access which can be used for job searches and other related activities. The resource centers are staffed by Service Coordinators that provide intake, assessment, planning, coordination and delivery of services that support economic development and self-sufficiency. The service coordinators identify barriers, such as transportation, childcare, and education, and offer programs that will enhance the resident’s quality of life and prepare them to enter the workforce, thereby breaking the cycle of poverty. The service coordinators also provide information to the residents to assist them with pursuing homeownership.

THA utilizes a ROSS Service Coordinator grant that provides case management services to residents with a focus on employment, education and self-sufficiency. The case managers work with the residents to set goals pertaining to developing and maintaining a budget, childcare and obtaining health care. The case manager also encourages residents to take advantage of Housing Partners of Tulsa’s financial literacy and first-time homebuyer program.

Public housing residents are also encouraged to enroll in the Family Self-Sufficiency (FSS) Program. This program provides community support and resources to assist families with becoming self-sufficient. The Family Self-Sufficiency Coordinator meets with the interested resident and if selected for the program, the participant establishes a set of goals, such as employment or homeownership. Monthly meetings are held to assess progress and assist the participant with any barriers in reaching their stated goals. An incentive of the FSS is an escrow account; as the family's income increases, contributions are made to the escrow account on the family's behalf. Once the family is determined "Self-Sufficient" by meeting their goals and moving out of public housing, the money in the escrow account is paid to the participant. No conditions are imposed on the use of the money, but the family is encouraged to pursue homeownership and information on Homebuyer Education Programs is provided to the family.

Residents of THA communities are actively involved in the planning and development of programs for their communities. Each community is encouraged to establish a Resident Association which meets monthly to discuss areas of concern and plan events and activities for their communities.  Each association has a set of by-laws that outlines how the association will operate. Training involving job duties, parliamentarian procedures, communication and financial bookkeeping is provided to all Resident Association officers.  

If the PHA is designated as troubled, describe the manner in which financial assistance will be provided or other assistance

The Housing Authority of the City of Tulsa is not designated as troubled.

Discussion: N/A

AP-65 Homeless and Other Special Needs Activities – 91.220(i)

Introduction

Rental Assistance will be provided in the form of Homelessness Prevention with ESG funds managed by the Family Safety Center and Salvation Army. A total of 28 households will be served.

Describe the jurisdiction’s one-year goals and actions for reducing and ending homelessness including

Reaching out to homeless persons (especially unsheltered persons) and assessing their individual needs

Although the City is not directly providing funds towards reaching out to homeless persons within the City of Tulsa, there are street outreach programs organized by faith-based and non-profit organizations that reach out to unsheltered individuals. The Tulsa City and County Continuum of Care lead agency, Housing Solutions, utilized CARES Act funding to provide outreach services to unsheltered persons in the CoC geographic area. Housing Solutions serves unsheltered clients using a Housing First approach to connect clients to housing as well as transportation, case management, access to vital records (I.D.s, birth certificates), mainstream benefits, and temporary non-congregate shelter for those who are highly vulnerable. Everyone is provided the opportunity to complete the common assessment, Vulnerability Index-Service Prioritization Delivery Assistance Tool (VI-SPDAT) and is entered into the Homeless Management Information System (HMIS) to ensure connection to housing resources through the Coordinated Entry System. Housing Solutions’ Street Outreach Project includes a strong collaboration with several local nonprofits, city and county government, churches and faith-based organizations, and private citizens. The local government collaborative efforts are a key aspect of the outreach due to partnerships with the leadership at all levels including the Mayor’s Office, Tulsa Police Department, City of Tulsa Working in Neighborhoods (code enforcement), Tulsa Fire Department and City Council members.

Addressing the emergency shelter and transitional housing needs of homeless persons

The City of Tulsa is providing ESG and CDBG funds to 4 emergency shelters and to assist with shelter services and operations. The agencies receiving funds include Domestic Violence Intervention Services, Tulsa Day Center, Salvation Army, and Youth Services of Tulsa. Each shelter provides varying services or targets a specific population to avoid duplication of efforts in the community. Specialized assistance is provided to youth, victims of domestic violence and families with children. In addition to providing a safe place to stay the shelters provide services in the form of case management, child care, community voicemail, counseling, safety planning for victims of domestic violence, medical services, life skills, parenting, relationship skills, and therapeutic exercise classes and services to meet basic needs.

In addition, this past year during the federally declared Winter Storm Disaster (DR-4587) event in February 2021, the Continuum of Care lead agency, Housing Solutions, coordinated efforts to provide temporary non-congregate shelter to 342 individuals who were living on the streets, in encampments, or other places not safe for human habitation. Individuals and families were placed in hotel rooms and provided with food, case management and other vital services with the goal of placing as many as possible into permanent housing. As of August 31, 2021, 76 households gained permanent housing or placed in a long-term care facility. These efforts were supported by private donations, and City and County CARES Act funds.

Helping homeless persons (especially chronically homeless individuals and families, families with children, veterans and their families, and unaccompanied youth) make the transition to permanent housing and independent living, including shortening the period of time that individuals and families experience homelessness, facilitating access for homeless individuals and families to affordable housing units, and preventing individuals and families who were recently homeless from becoming homeless again.

Family Safety Center and Salvation Army will use funds for Homelessness Prevention by providing rent subsidies and other assistance so individuals and families have affordable access to safe and sanitary housing.

In addition to the shelter, Youth Services of Tulsa (YST) assists unaccompanied, homeless youth ages 17-24, through a coordinated referral and application process to quickly move out of homelessness and into transitional housing. While in housing, case management services are provided to increase personal, social, educational and occupational skills needed to transition into adulthood. Youth are also connected with mental health services and other YST and community services to ensure their needs are met and housing is sustained over time.

Mental Health Association Oklahoma will use HOME funds to rehabilitate Belle Arms and Southwind Apartments. Approximately 30% of the units at these locations are set aside for persons in recovery or prevention of homelessness due to mental illness.

Helping low-income individuals and families avoid becoming homeless, especially extremely low-income individuals and families and those who are: being discharged from publicly funded institutions and systems of care (such as health care facilities, mental health facilities, foster care and other youth facilities, and corrections programs and institutions); or, receiving assistance from public or private agencies that address housing, health, social services, employment, education, or youth needs

The City of Tulsa awarded funds to 2 programs that assist individuals being discharged from correctional facilities. The Center for Employment Opportunities will provide men and women that were formerly incarcerated and reside in North Tulsa with life skills education, transitional jobs, permanent job placement assistance, and retention services. Resonance Center for Women will provide incarcerated and formerly incarcerated females with relapse prevention education, job readiness training, domestic violence services, and education among other life skills training. Both projects work toward preventing individuals from becoming homeless after discharge.

There are a variety of efforts undertaken by the City of Tulsa and CoC member organizations to prevent homelessness. There are 5 primary preventative services offered by various provider organizations:

• Mortgage assistance
• Rental assistance
• Utilities assistance
• Counseling/advocacy
• Legal assistance
• Landlord/Tenant Outreach

Each service is designed to keep families housed by offering services and support during times of financial or legal difficulty. HOPWA funds will be provided for homelessness prevention to individuals diagnosed with HIV/AIDS and their families in the form of short-term rent, mortgage and utility assistance, tenant-based rental assistance, permanent housing placement and supportive services.

The Tulsa CoC’s 2020-2024 Strategic Plan includes the goal of stopping homelessness before it begins. Through multi-sector collaboration community partners support this goal with action steps to improve discharge policies and supports to reduce the number of individuals that exit institutions and systems of care and end up in homelessness; create processes to improve service connections before and after discharge from corrections, health care (including mental health) and foster care systems; and extend resource availability for a longer period of time after discharge, including housing, employment support and community connections. In partnership with Community Action Project of Tulsa County, Housing Solutions operates the Landlord Tenant Resource Center (LTRC) to provide extremely low-income individuals and families and property owners access to housing-related advocacy, legal services, and education. The LTRC created a Social Services Hub in a partner organization facility, Iron Gate on Archer, located across the street from where eviction court is held, to connect landlords, tenants and legal representatives to services and resources to reduce evictions. The LTRC also facilitates a focus group for tenants and landlords to identify the specific needs of the community.

The Housing Authority of the City of Tulsa (THA) has a policy in place which prioritizes subsidized housing for individuals who have a disability. In addition, THA solicited housing owners to apply for project-based vouchers targeted to properties that focus on support for individuals and families exiting homelessness. THA maintains a well-established Family Self-Sufficiency program to assist residents address housing, social service, and employment needs.

Discussion

The City of Tulsa and homeless services providers, including Tulsa’s CoC, are committed to providing solutions and serving the needs of individuals experiencing homelessness.< The Tulsa CoC lead agency, Housing Solutions, empowers the local homeless system through the provision of free community-wide training aimed at supporting staff and leadership with the tools needed to serve the needs of our citizens. Trainings may include Housing-Focused Case Management, Motivational Interviewing, LGBTQ+ Preparedness and Trauma-Informed Care.

The Tulsa City and County Continuum of Care, in alignment with the Strategic Plan, expanded the Written Standards with the creation of local Services Standards. In addition to the required elements of the ESG and CoC Written Standards, the Services Standards provides Tulsa’s homeless service providers a guide for equitably delivering services across the continuum in a safe and inclusive way.

Changes to the CoC’s Written Standards include:

1. Removed reference to “All Doors Open” as an alternate name for the Coordinated Entry System.
2. Removal of Homelessness Prevention from the Coordinated Entry System standards.
3. Revised the Coordinated Street Outreach section to reflect the redesign of the Tulsa CoC, A Way Home for Tulsa, and Coordinated Outreach structure.

AP-70 HOPWA Goals - 91.220 (l)(3)

AP-75 Barriers to Affordable Housing – 91.220(j)

Introduction:

Actions it planned to remove or ameliorate the negative effects of public policies that serve as barriers to affordable housing such as land use controls, tax policies affecting land, zoning ordinances, building codes, fees and charges, growth limitations, and policies affecting the return on residential investment

Public policies are meant to address the overall needs of citizens in the City. Yet, there are times where they may have a negative effect on certain aspects of the community, specifically affordable housing and residential investment. Affordable housing and public and private residential investments are key components in furthering fair housing in any community. The primary tool communities have for identifying contributing factors for these barriers to housing is an assessment of fair housing and fair housing choice. In 2020, the updated the previous 2015 assessment. Analysis from the 2020 update has found:

• A limited supply of affordable housing and extensive cost burden, especially for extremely low- and very low- income renters, causing those renters to face significant affordability “gaps”; and
• Fair housing education is lacking and must be better understood by community residents and property owners.

The City plans corresponding actions designed to strengthen the supply of affordable housing and narrow the affordability “gaps.” Elements of those actions appear within the 2020-2024 Consolidated Plan and beyond. Additionally, the City anticipates a review of public policies that may impede the development of affordable housing and to improve the understanding of their consequences.

The City’s actions identified in the 2020 assessment of fair housing include actions that will help to ameliorate barriers to affordable housing. These actions include addressing Disproportionate Housing Problems and Economic Barriers and also addressing Lack of Access to Transportation Options Reducing Housing and Economic Opportunities. Through these actions the City will work to give special consideration to rental housing development, particularly accessible housing, and will expand access to public transportation giving residents greater access to housing and economic opportunities.

Discussion: N/A

AP-85 Other Actions – 91.220(k)

Introduction:

The City will use CDBG, ESG, HOME and HOPWA funds to provide a variety of services within the City of Tulsa. The sections below address specific projects funded. A complete list of activities, by funding source, is included in Appendix A

Actions planned to address obstacles to meeting underserved needs

For PY 2022, the City of Tulsa will provide funds to 31 external agencies and 2 City departments to conduct activities across this Annual Action Plan. By awarding a variety of agencies and multiple activities, the is attempting to address obstacles to meeting the underserved needs of the community.

The City of Tulsa plans to serve 8,615 people with CDBG Essential Services, ESG and HOPWA funds. Broken down by funding source, CDBG Essential Services will account for approximately 5,494 people, Emergency Solutions will account for 3,003 people, and HOPWA will serve 118 people.

Public facility improvements will benefit 4,941 people and will meet the low to moderate income clientele national objective. Projects will include the City of Tulsa’s Streets and Stormwater Department installing new sidewalks in low and moderate income areas, making playground improvements at an Early Childhood Education Center, and constructing a Senior Center Activity Center.

Through an economic development activity for small business loans, 45 jobs will be created of which at least 51% will be for low to moderate income persons. The CDBG funds are used to provide loans to businesses normally excluded from the economic mainstream. Additionally, through a micro enterprise program, 10 businesses will be provided with technical assistance.

The City of Tulsa's Working in Neighborhoods Department will use CDBG funds to conduct a clearance and demolition activity in low to moderate income census tracts within the City.

Actions planned to foster and maintain affordable housing

The City of Tulsa has awarded funding that will foster and maintain affordable housing. Two agencies will conduct owner occupied housing rehabilitation projects for 172 homeowners and two agencies will rehabilitate 28 rental units

HOME assistance will be provided to 25 low to moderate income households to purchase their first home.

Actions planned to reduce lead-based paint hazards

The City of Tulsa ensures that inspections for lead-based paint (LBP) hazards will occur, as required, for all funded housing activities. Proper notifications will be provided regarding lead-based paint hazards. All housing units constructed prior to 1978 will be tested for LBP by a certified LBP inspector or Risk Assessor. If LBP is detected, all covered renovations will follow HUDs Lead Safe Housing Rules and be performed by certified firms using certified renovators and other trained workers.

Actions planned to reduce the number of poverty-level families

The identified priorities that will encompass services that assist in breaking the cycle of poverty. Of the proposals received, 17 were chosen for funding and will serve the following needs in an attempt to reduce the number of poverty level-families:

• Education programs for children and youth, including early childhood education, after school programs, and transitional living programs for homeless youth
• Mentoring, life skills, education, job training, and placement services for unemployed, underemployed, and those recently released from prison
• Crisis services for children, adults, and special populations
• Services to seniors, homeless individuals and families including transportation services

Actions planned to develop institutional structure

During Program Year 2022, the City of Tulsa plans to continue providing training and technical assistance for all grant recipients to ensure the jurisdiction has a strong delivery system. Grant-specific roundtable sessions will be scheduled as needed. These have proven invaluable in the past by keeping an open dialogue with agencies regarding project activities, best practices, and compliance requirements.

Actions planned to enhance coordination between public and private housing and social service agencies

Tulsa benefits from a strong and cohesive coalition of local government officials, service providers, lenders, and volunteers. These various groups coordinate effectively to avoid duplication of services and facilitate a delivery system which meets the needs of Tulsa's various populations. The continues a targeted public outreach effort to educate and engage the public.

Discussion: N/A