TULSA, Okla. — After months of back and forth, the City of Tulsa and Tulsa County reached an agreement on the future of the former Tulsa County Juvenile Detention Center.
The city will purchase the building for half a million dollars and open a 24/7 low-barrier homeless shelter.
WATCH: Deal settled to open low-barrier homeless shelter in former juvenile detention center:
“For the first time, Tulsa will have a true designated low-barrier shelter and that has been missing in all of this work," said Emily Hall, the mayor's Senior Advisor on Homelessness. “This is just a stopping place on people’s way to permanent supportive housing.”
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The facility along Gilcrease Museum Rd. will open 175 beds for Tulsans with nowhere else to go.
“I made a commitment to work with partners to make homelessness as we know it a thing of the past; this shelter is a major piece of making that commitment a reality,” said Mayor Monroe Nichols in a statement. “I'm thankful for our partners at Tulsa County for helping us meet one of Tulsa's most pressing needs. Together, we’re taking a crucial step to ensure every Tulsan has a safe place to go and receives the support they need to get back on their feet, and together we’re one step closer to functional zero homelessness in our city.”
According to a statement from the city, they will not be the operator but agreed to secure the property until it's ready for development. The Tulsa Police Department will respond to any calls for service at the facility and help survey the area as needed.
In September, 2 News reported the city and county were at odds over security and financial issues. We asked the mayor's Senior Advisor on Homelessness Emily Hall how they came to a resolution.
“At the end of the day, we put all difference aside and came together for the betterment of our city and county," she said. "This does not just help one entity, but this helps all of Tulsa.”
Tulsa County Commissioner Lonnie Sims, who previously voiced his concerns, also said getting to this point in the agreement is a success.
"Our shared responsibility in this partnership ensures that both the low-barrier shelter and the county’s emergency family shelter can safely and effectively support our most vulnerable residents, side by side," said Sims. "By working together, we strengthen our community and ensure critical assistance reaches those who need it most."
Being low-barrier, people will be able to access these services more easily, including being able to bring pets in with them. Hall said people can walk inside from off the streets and find resources like housing navigation and case management.
The need, illustrated by Tulsa's latest point in time count, is dire, said Hall.
"Our current shelters are at capacity, meaning that if someone needs shelter space, it’s not accessible," said Hall. "As we begin to decommission encampments, as we begin to move people to a pathway off of the street into housing, this facility would be a place for those folks to go to seek shelter, to seek support on a pathway to housing.”
The city is also working to open an inclement weather shelter in the coming months.
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