Tulsa tops 2,700 cases, city prepares new tools to speed up response

kjrh

By: Cathy Tatom

TULSA, Okla. — Tulsa's code enforcement backlog for its lowest-priority complaints has grown to more than 2,700 cases, which means it can take weeks or even months before anyone from the city shows up to investigate.

The backlog covers Priority-3 cases, the lowest rung of Tulsa's code enforcement priority system, which typically involve overgrown weeds, tall grass, trash in vacant lots, and deteriorating or abandoned properties.

Lisa Burt, who lives near an overgrown lot in west Tulsa, said she has been annoyed with the problem for years.

"I've been dealing with the overgrown weeds and grass in our neighborhood for at least the last 3 years, and the city seems like they don't want to do anything about it," Burt said.

Tulsa code enforcement records show a complaint filed about the lot at 4005 W 55th Place on April 30, 2026. The case was classified as Priority-3.

When 2 News Oklahoma asked James Wagner, the director of Tulsa's Planning and Neighborhoods Department, about the case on July 8, 2026, he looked up its status. After seeing that the complaint was about overgrown weeds blocking sightlines at an intersection, Wagner upgraded it to a Priority-1 case for immediate inspection.

2 News has reported on Tulsa Code Enforcement's backlog of inspections of priority 3 code enforcement complaints for three years.

"Right now we have about 2,700 cases in our backlog," Wagner said.

In midsummer 2025, the backlog stood at 1,895 cases. In 2024, it exceeded 2,300 cases.

Wagner said that the summer months are the most challenging period for his department.

"We get a lot of citizen complaints about tall grass and weeds during the summertime," Wagner said.

According to Wagner, the city's goal is to respond to Priority-3 complaints within 30 days. In the winter months, the department typically catches up to that target. But in summer, the wait can stretch far longer.

"In the summertime it can be as much as 60 to 90 days before we even get the first inspection," Wagner said.

For Burt, that timeline is unacceptable.

"To me, that's too long," Burt said.

Residents are frustrated when duplicate complaints are rejected

Burt and others who contacted the Problem Solvers said they are frustrated when Tulsa's 311 system refuses to accept their complaint because someone else has already reported the same property. Burt said that the approach sends the wrong message.

"To me, it's like they're blowing it off like our voices doesn't matter," Burt said.

Wagner said the policy exists to prevent the backlog from growing even further, but he acknowledged the frustration.

"We certainly care, but we also don't want to just create duplicate cases in our system, and that would actually get us further behind in the backlog," Wagner said.

Wagner said residents do have a way to check whether a complaint has already been filed. The city offers a code enforcement map where residents can see if a property has already been reported.

The map below shows just how many cases are active. Wagner expects that recent heavy rainfall is likely to drive complaint numbers even higher in the coming weeks.

"The number one thing to do is use that code enforcement map and know that if it's on that map and it's been reported, then it's on our radar, and we may be in the process of working with the owner on compliance," Wagner said.

Wagner said that in many cases, the city is already in contact with a property owner behind the scenes, working toward voluntary compliance before a formal abatement becomes necessary.

"About 2/3 of our cases are solved by voluntary compliance, meaning that when we send the notice or make contact with the owner, they ultimately solve the issue before we have to go and do an abatement," Wagner said.

For the remaining cases, the city performs the abatement itself, sends an invoice to the property owner, and places a lien on the property if the invoice goes unpaid after 30 days. Wagner said the city eventually recoups those costs when the property is sold.

Burt said she believes the city should treat multiple complaints about the same property as a signal that the problem is serious.

"I think more complaints they get on the same thing, they would realize it's not just one person complaining about that issue. It's affecting different ones, everybody, instead of just one person," Burt said.

City adding staff and launching new notification program

Tulsa is taking steps to address the backlog. The city's FY27 budget includes funding for 3 new code enforcement employees. Wagner said the new hires likely will not be on the job and fully trained in time to make a difference this summer, but he expects them to be ready by next spring.

"We're hopeful that by next growing season, by March of next year, we have all those positions in place," Wagner said.

The city is also launching a new proactive notification program. When a complaint is filed, the city will send courtesy postcards and text messages to the property owner and the utility account holder associated with the property, alerting them to the issue before a code enforcement officer even arrives.

"We're letting that property owner or the utility customer know that there's a problem there, and they need to go check it out. So the hope is that they take care of it before our code enforcement officer even gets there," Wagner said.

Wagner said the postcard program is expected to launch within the next couple of months.

Burt said she hopes the new measures make a real difference in her neighborhood.

"Oh, I hope so because I love this neighborhood. It's just I don't like seeing all the overgrown trash and abandoned homes and everything because it's a health risk for people," Burt said.

This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.