OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. — On September 15, three interim studies on housing affordability took place at the Oklahoma state Capitol, including one led by state Rep. Rob Hall of Tulsa, as lawmakers and experts worked to find solutions to the state's growing housing challenges.
Robert Aery of the Hern Policy Institute said one of the first issues that needs to be addressed is the definition of "affordable" itself.
"It's a relative concept. What is affordable for you, might not be affordable for me. That's important because by its nature, affordability depends on both cost and the ability to pay," Aery said.
Aery also noted that declining birth rates are adding pressure to the housing market, as families are having fewer children than previous generations.
"If demographic trends continue, states will increasingly compete for people. This will further enhance the need for housing policies that attract and retain families," Aery said.
A separate study focused on permitting challenges in Green Country. Tyler Parette, executive director of Tulsa-based Housing Forward, said Oklahoma City permits roughly 3,800 housing units per year, while Tulsa permits around 800.
"So we have a lot of ground to make up to make sure that we're being competitive in a regional market," Parette said.
Parette said Oklahoma ranks 41st nationally in home ownership, signaling the state has significant work ahead.
Experts at Tuesday's studies suggested potential solutions including smaller lot sizes and a broader mix of housing option, from single-family homes to multi-unit developments.
Parette said there is no single fix to the problem.
"It's going to take incremental policy change across a lot of different policy areas to start to bring prices back to a level where people can afford that starter home, they can comfortably afford to live, uh, and that we can start attracting workforce and talent so that our business stays booming in the state," Parette said.
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