TULSA, Okla. — It's only been two months, but Lakeitha Timmons said she'd rather be dead than keep living on the streets.
“It’s dangerous out here on these streets," she said. "There is no resources. The agencies I’ve dealt with, I haven’t had any luck. Me and my son we were sleeping out here until my friend helped me out with him. I can’t get into the shelters I don’t know why."
WATCH: 'Rather be dead': Woman expresses affordable housing need amid homeless spike
Like so many in Tulsa, Timmons became homeless after being evicted. She said it wasn't her fault, that her landlord failed an inspection which caused her to lose her Section 8 assistance and subsequently, her home.
“I need shelter, I need to be off these streets," said Timmons. "There’s a big need for housing... It’s just a bad system here, and I don’t know what it’s going to take to fix it, but I hope someone is able to get it fixed.”
Timmons said she's not surprised the problem is only increasing across Tulsa.
Mayor Monroe Nichols and a number of housing partners are working to create a solution for people like Timmons.
A BREAKDOWN OF THE 2025 PIT COUNT
"What's clear is if we want to get to a better situation, we're going to have to invest, we're going to have to get past some of the nimbism that I understand, but we're just not in a space where we can be in that place as citizens," said Nichols.
Nichols told 2 News he and his team are working on bringing more transitional housing facilities to provide more options for some of the unsheltered folks.
Local News
'The challenge persists': Tulsa annual homelessness report shows 4% increase
The mayor is also efforting Tulsa's first ever winter weather shelter, that would operate from November through March to provide a consistent escape from the elements.
“People are going to have to dig deep and understand that it's not going to impact their safety because we’ve got people in the streets already right now," the mayor said. "When it comes to the other affordable housing work that we’re going to have to do, people are going to have to understand that density is going to be key.”
In 2024, the PIT count showed a 23% increase, so this 4% has leaders encouraged things are slowly but surely moving in the right direction.
Stay in touch with us anytime, anywhere --
- Download our free app for Apple, Android and Kindle devices.
- Sign up for daily newsletters emailed to you
- Like us on Facebook
- Follow us on Instagram
- Watch LIVE 24/7 on YouTube
