Upcoming Workshops to Focus on Faith-Based Land Use, Housing Opportunities

4/6/2026

The City of Tulsa, in partnership with the George Kaiser Family Foundation (GKFF), is convening local faith leaders and community stakeholders for a conversation on how land owned by faith-based organizations (FBOs) can help strengthen neighborhoods and expand housing opportunities.

FBOs represent some of the community’s most significant and enduring assets, collectively holding more land than any other single group.

On Thursday, April 16, at 11:30 a.m. and then again at 5:30 p.m., the City and GKFF will host “Connecting Mission & Place,” a workshop and discussion featuring Sara Joy Proppe, founder of Proximity Project. The workshops will highlight how congregations across the country are activating underutilized land, such as vacant parcels and parking lots, to support community-centered development.

During the workshops, participants will explore:

• How property development can advance the mission of faith communities
• Key development considerations unique to congregations and neighborhood contexts
• Real-world case studies of churches leading successful housing and mixed-use projects

These workshops are part of an early exploration into a Faith-Based Housing Initiative in Tulsa. In practice, the initiative would support congregations in understanding the development potential of their land while fostering partnerships that prioritize equitable, community-driven outcomes.

Faith leaders, community organizations, and development partners are encouraged to attend and share their perspectives as Tulsa considers collaborative approaches to land use and housing.

To register, visit: https://faithbasedinitiative2026.netlify.app/

The City and GKFF Will also be hosting a breakfast for potential funding partners on Thursday, April 16, as well as an information session that same day for potential developer/builder partners at 2 p.m. For more information about either of these events, please email Gene Bulmash at: gbulmash@cityoftulsa.org

Advancing Housing in Tulsa
As background, the City of Tulsa is making significant strides across multiple fronts to increase housing supply and expand access to affordable housing.

The effort is driven by a strong need for more housing across all price points in Tulsa. As such, Mayor Nichols has set a goal to increase Tulsa’s affordable housing supply by 6,000 units by 2028.

Several impactful programs and milestones include the:

• Launch of the Tulsa Housing Impact Fund to start deploying $47 million from Improve Our Tulsa 3 to support housing development. For more information, visit: https://www.tulsahousingfund.org/
• Activation of the City’s Housing Acceleration Team (HAT) to fast-track housing projects and streamline development processes. As part of the team’s efforts, the City has accelerated permitting for the City’s new low-barrier shelter, The Harbor, and the Hilltop Apartments - a more than 100-unit affordable housing development.
• Launch of the City’s new housing tracker, which can be found online at: www.cityoftulsa.org/housing
• Integration of Housing Forward recommendations with the City’s Development Services Department, which is helping further improve the City’s development and permitting processes. More information about that work can be found online.

These efforts represent just a portion of the broader, coordinated strategy underway to address Tulsa’s housing needs and ensure long-term neighborhood stability and growth.

To learn more about the Mayor’s housing initiatives, visit: www.cityoftulsa.org/mayor/housing