TULSA, Okla. — The City of Tulsa moved closer to addressing its homeless crisis with approving a proposal to transform an old juvenile detention center into a 175-bed low-barrier shelter. Jan 14.
The Tulsa City Council voted Jan. 14 on whether to surplus the former juvenile detention facility on Gilcrease Museum Road and transfer it to Harbor LLC, which would operate the shelter.
"It is frankly what is probably the final vote when it comes to the actual building," said Jeff Hall, with Harbor LLC. "So it's very important. If the council doesn't approve to surplus the building and allow us to continue with the city on the transfer, there is no project."
People experiencing homelessness like Julie Dawn tell 2 News they need more help.
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"It's not enough," Dawn said.
There simply aren't enough beds available to get people off the streets. Current shelters around Tulsa are at capacity.
The proposed shelter would be different from existing facilities because it would operate as a low-barrier, 24/7 facility, Hall explained.
"We want to make sure it's a high quality safe stable place for those that are seeking shelter so part of what we'll do is really truly gut it as much as we can so they're coming in and finding more welcoming, safe shelter space that looks nothing like a jail," Hall said.
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Under the proposed contract with the city, Harbor LLC agrees to invest a minimum of $9 million in renovations. The organization expects annual operating costs to reach about $2.5 million.
If the city council approves the transfer, the timeline will move quickly.
"Generally speaking, we'll advance our architectural designs, we'll look at doing some early demolition, and look to do construction as you look towards summer," Hall said.
The ambitious goal is to have the shelter operational by December.
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