TULSA, Okla. — After years cycling in and out of shelters following his wife's death, Zuri Israel now has a permanent roof over his head at Eden Village.
Israel moved into his tiny home just two days ago, becoming the 60th resident at the nearly full village that's become a symbol of hope for Tulsa's homeless population.
"I toughed it out and toughed it out and said, 'Man, I'm gonna put in for one of these tiny homes to see and man you wouldn't believe how elated I was," said Israel.
2 News Oklahoma's Stef Manchen tagged along on a tour with Mayor Monroe Nichols and his Senior Advisor on Homelessness Emily Hall.
For Israel, the tiny home represents more than just shelter.
"I have a breathing treatment that I do every four hours so this basically saved my life," said Israel. "I'm so grateful for this opportunity because when I stepped in here and they said everything's brand new, I said brand new? Man, tears came to my eyes."
Israel's story represents a growing success for the Safe Move Tulsa initiative, which has housed more than 500 people in just under a year.
Mayor Nichols said partnerships like Eden Village are crucial to the program's effectiveness.
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"It is really about Safe Move encountering people, finding them the best fit, and in Tulsa, we're trying to make sure there's more and more of those options for people as we're encountering them," said Nichols.
The mayor emphasized that every contribution helps address Green Country's homeless crisis, with testimonies like Israel's highlighting the importance of filling housing gaps.
"For the folks who get the opportunity to be here, we heard it from somebody earlier today, it is a life changer, a life saver," said Nichols.
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