'We need more of all kinds of housing': A look into the housing issues facing Oklahoma communities

OKLAHOMA CITY, Okla. (KOKH) — FOX 25 examined some of the housing issues facing Oklahoma communities— and how they can impact homelessness.

A 2022report from Price Edwards and Co. noted that rent increases in Oklahoma City historically rose at about 2 to 3 percent a year.

However, in 2021, rent rates spiked by 12 percent. It fell to 6 percent increase in 2022, but the firm still described that increase as historically high.

What's unclear, according to Price Edwards, is where things do from here.

"It's not just that we need more low-income housing. We need more of all kinds of housing," asserted Dan Straughan, the executive director of the Homeless Alliance.

He asserted that Oklahoma City needs 50,000 more housing units. An increase in housing stock across the board would encourage those who can afford it to move into more expensive units— freeing up cheaper ones for those who need lower rent prices, according to Straughan.

"We all learned at our mother's knee that an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure. And boy that is really true about homelessness," he added.

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He highlighted a major increase in those who needed help with housing.

According to him, about 11,000 people in Oklahoma City interacted with the homelessness system in 2012. In 2022, that number grew to approximately 20,000.

During that same time period, the number of those in shelters or on the streets stayed at about 1,300 to 1,400.

He explained that, "The cost of rent versus the level of poverty in a community drives homeless numbers way more than any other issue. Way more than mental health, way more than substance use. Way more than anything."

The Homeless Alliance is also stressing is that fewer landlords are accepting tenants with housing choice vouchers. According to Straughan, he's never seen so many being turned away in the 19 years he's been working with the alliance.

• ALSO SEE: Homelessness surges by 11% nationwide largely due to cost of living, evictions, report says

State Rep. Mickey Dollens (D-Oklahoma City) shared that in the upcoming legislative session, he will work to address the issue of out-of-state investors increasing rent prices by buying up available properties.

"A perfect example would be when foreign countries were coming to Oklahoma and buying up large parts of rural Oklahoma. They were driving the market value of that land up to where Oklahoma farmers and ranchers couldn't afford to expand their own operations," he asserted.

Rep. Dollens is urging lawmakers to adopt legislation, "imposing a tax on out-of-state investors who want to buy a house for the purpose of renting, and then using that collected money in a... bond or an endowment to help people with a down payment assistance."

According to the National Association of Realtors, Oklahoma was tied as third in the nation for having the most corporate home buyers at a rate of 18 percent in 2021.

To help drive down housing costs, Rep. Dollens is also advocating for municipalities to change zoning to allow for higher density construction— and to let homeowners have secondary properties on their own lots called accessory dwelling units.

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