PRO Housing Grant

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Notice of Public Hearing, Comment Period, and Grant Application Posting for PRO Housing Grant
The City of Tulsa is applying for the FY24 Pathways to Removing Obstacles to Housing (PRO Housing) grant. This competitive grant empowers communities to identify and remove barriers to affordable housing production and preservation, helping to increase the supply of affordable units and lower housing costs over the long term.

Public Comment Period:
The draft application was open for public comment through Sunday, October 6, 2024.

Public Hearing:
A public hearing was held on September 25, 2024, to gather feedback on the City’s proposed application.

Overview of the PRO Housing Grant Program:
The PRO Housing grant aims to assist communities like Tulsa in addressing a critical national housing shortage. According to HUD, affordable housing production is not keeping pace with demand, and millions of households face significant cost burdens, with underserved populations such as Black families and low-income people disproportionately affected.

The PRO Housing program enables communities to remove local barriers to housing production, which may include restrictive zoning, long permitting processes, or inadequate infrastructure. The grant supports planning, policy changes, infrastructure improvements, and innovative solutions for affordable housing.

HUD's Strategic Goals and Objectives for PRO Housing include:

Removing barriers to affordable housing production and preservation through improved laws, regulations, and zoning.
Promoting equitable housing development that affirms fair housing, addresses racial and economic disparities, and provides access to high-opportunity areas.
Preventing displacement and ensuring affordable housing production supports long-term community stability.
Encouraging innovative, collaborative approaches from local governments and stakeholders.

City of Tulsa's Proposed Application Overview:
The City of Tulsa’s proposed PRO Housing application aligns with HUD’s strategic goals by addressing specific barriers identified in the Tulsa Housing Strategy (April 2024) and focusing on the following actions:

Housing Project Coordinator (Strategy 2.c.): The City will establish a Housing Project Coordinator position to streamline development processes, ensuring smoother and faster housing production. This position will guide developers through zoning, permitting, and approvals, which have historically caused delays and added costs.
Pre-Approved Plans Program (Strategy 2.d.): The City will implement a pilot program for pre-approved architectural plans for housing development (ADUs, duplexes, triplexes). This will reduce design and approval time, making it easier for non-profits and developers to build affordable housing quickly.
Process Improvements and Zoning Code Reforms (Strategies 4.b. and 4.c.): The City will undertake a process improvement initiative to streamline permitting and revise zoning codes to make housing development more feasible, particularly in areas targeted for affordable housing and infill development.
Affordable Housing Priority Program (Strategy 4.d.): This program will create a fast-track approval process for affordable housing projects, aligning city resources and programs with partner support to accelerate the delivery of mixed-income housing.
Vacant Property Acquisition (Strategy 2.a.): The City will acquire and prepare vacant sites for housing development, eliminating entitlement risk and reducing development costs to attract private and nonprofit developers.

These proposed actions will not only remove existing barriers to affordable housing development in Tulsa but also support equitable housing production and community resilience, as envisioned by HUD's strategic objectives.

Overview of Tulsa's Housing Needs:

The City of Tulsa faces a critical housing shortage, with a projected need for over 12,900 housing units in the coming decade to accommodate population growth. The Tulsa Housing Assessment highlighted key trends, including a significant demand for affordable housing, particularly for low- and moderate-income households.

High Demand for Affordable Units: More than half of the demand is for extremely low, very low, and low-income households due to decades of under-resourced affordable housing development. These households face the greatest challenges in securing affordable housing.
Barriers to Development: Tulsa’s existing permitting and zoning processes involve multiple departments and inconsistent timelines, which hinder the timely development of housing. Addressing these barriers is critical to meeting the city's housing goals.
Investment Gap: The Housing Assessment concluded that approximately $37 million in gap funding is needed annually to meet housing demand, in addition to available public programs and private investments.

The City’s application will address these pressing needs through targeted investments and reforms to spur housing production, support equity, and create a sustainable, affordable housing market in Tulsa.

Key Goals Addressed in Tulsa’s Proposal:

Removing Local Barriers: Through zoning reforms and streamlining the development process, Tulsa will make it easier for developers to produce affordable housing.
Affirmatively Furthering Fair Housing: By prioritizing equitable development and access to high-opportunity areas, the proposal ensures that underserved communities benefit from housing opportunities.
Increasing Affordable Housing Supply: The focus on acquiring and developing vacant properties, coupled with incentives for affordable development, will support a significant increase in affordable housing units.

This proposal is a comprehensive effort to address Tulsa’s housing needs while aligning with HUD’s goals to expand affordable housing, promote equity, and foster community resilience.

PRO Housing Grant Notice to Apply - September 16, 2024 - Spanish

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