With the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) Eviction Moratorium set to expire July 31, 2021, which prevents the eviction of tenants who are unable to pay rent, the City, County and community partners announced today their continuous efforts to prevent evictions.
Combatting Increased Evictions
The end of the moratorium is likely to create a significant increase in the eviction filings in Tulsa, which had the 11th highest eviction rate in the country per Princeton’s Eviction Lab. Due to the financial losses across the country, experts believe the eviction rates will increase to rates higher than pre-pandemic levels. In large part to the eviction moratorium, eviction levels decreased in Tulsa County during the pandemic.
According to the Oklahoma Policy Institute, an estimated 1,200 evictions were filed per month before the pandemic compared to 700 per month in 2021. In addition, the latest Census data suggests that one in 20 Oklahoma adults believes a foreclosure or eviction is likely in the next two months.
“As the pandemic continues into its second year, we are seeing the struggles many Tulsans are dealing with, especially those facing eviction and families who are unable to make rental and utility payments,” Mayor G.T. Bynum said. “That is why the Emergency Rental Assistance Program and Gold Star Landlord programs are so important to our objective of eviction prevention and providing helpful resources for both tenants and landlords. It takes everyone working together to keep our neighbors safely housed.”
Distributing Emergency Rental Assistance
The City is working closely with Tulsa County to increase knowledge of landlord/tenant rights through various programs, such as the Emergency Rental Assistance Program (ERAP), Tulsa’s Gold Star Landlord Program and Early Settlement Mediation Program.
Since the launch of ERAP applications in March 2021, more than $7 million in rental and utilities assistance has been distributed to more than 1,450 households, who have been affected directly or indirectly to the COVID-19 outbreak. This includes residents facing eviction, utility cut off or who have experienced a reduction in household income and who are at or below 80 percent of the area median income.
The City received the first award of the second round of ERAP funding from the U.S. Department of the Treasury in May for $3,811,875 to continue its efforts in helping those at risk of homelessness or housing instability.
Restore Hope Ministries is the City, County and State’s nonprofit partner in this effort. With more than 45 years of experience homeless prevention, they are responsible for distributing the ERAP funds as fast and efficiently as possible to our most vulnerable citizens.
“The Tulsa County Board of County Commissioners is committed to a broad recovery from the COVID-19 pandemic.” said Tulsa County Commissioner Ron Peters. “Keeping families in their homes has been a top priority that avoids more costly outcomes, including homelessness, adverse experiences for children and overburdening other social services. We encourage all Tulsa County renters who are a little behind and can show any additional burden or hardship this year to explore our ERAP program.”
Providing a Model for Landlord/Tenants Relations
Another resource focusing on housing stability is the Gold Star Landlord Program, which offers incentives and rewards for local landlords and property managers who engage in best rental practices. There are currently 15 Gold Star landlords in Tulsa with nearly 1,000 rental properties.
There is no cost to join.
“Many tenants were and are temporarily out of work due to the COVID 19 crisis that compromised their finances. It has driven so many into unemployment, and those who are still working are struggling with less income as a result,” said Scott Gordon, a Gold Star landlord. “Even before the COVID pandemic, evicting my tenants was not the best way to go. I have always tried to sit down with my tenants and talk through their financial issues and aim to find a compromise.”
Being a Gold Star Landlord, Gordon is also part of the Early Settlement Mediation Program, which is offered at no cost to tenants and landlords. The service provides a way to voluntarily resolve disagreements outside of a courtroom, which are often costly and lengthy.
“In a Housing Solutions survey, landlords reported spending an average of $1,564 preparing a unit for a new tenant after a previous tenant after a previous tenant had been evicted. When landlords use resources like the Emergency Rental Assistance Program and the Early Settlement Mediation Program, landlords can avoid the high cost of eviction and resolve concerns with tenants outside of the courtroom,” said Kristin Maun, the director of housing development and incentives at Tulsa Authority for Economic Opportunity.
Without the CDC eviction moratorium, the city “would have seen an unprecedented wave of homelessness due to eviction in our community,” Maun added.
Aiding in Financial Empowerment
In addition, the City launched the Tulsa Financial Empowerment Center (FEC) to provide one-on-one financial counseling at no cost during the pandemic. The FEC recently received a planning grant from the Cities for Financial Empowerment Fund to integrate financial counseling with municipally led rental assistance in response to COVID-19.
For more information about the Tulsa FEC and to schedule an appointment with a financial counselor, visit: www.cityoftulsa.org/FEC.
To learn more about the City and County’s Emergency Rental Assistance Program and how to apply, visit: https://erap.restorehope.org/
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