2000 Best Practice Awards

2000-132 Project Impact - Tulsa (Construction Committee)

Some 3 years ago, under the leadership of the Tulsa mayor's office, a task force was established with the charged goal of making Tulsa a disaster resistant community. While windstorms, particularly tornado damage, were in the forefront, all sorts of hazards such as flood control, fire, etc. became the concerns of the task force. For purposes of this best practices nomination, accomplishments of the committee concerning windstorm damage will be featured.

2000-182 East Tulsa Prevention Coalition

The Coalition is a new (less than one year old) group of government agencies and community-based organizations that takes a multi-sector, multi-strategy approach to promoting strong families and reducing crimes, specifically substance abuse, in a targeted section of the city. Coalition strategies include conducting a community needs assessment; setting measurable goals and objectives; addressing the needs that the data and the Coalition determine as important; implementing effective research based programs and techniques to accomplish goals; and self-evaluation.

Since its inception, the Coalition has engaged in several short term projects one of which was to organize a large event in conjunction with HUD's Raise the Roof day in which teens and youth painted address numbers on curbs while adults worked on renovating two houses occupied by elderly residents. Nearly 50 Coalition members took part in the Raise the Roof activities.

2000-183 Building Capacity though New Voices Partnership

The Community Builder Fellow in the Tulsa HUD Field Office identified a new fellowship program and disseminated application materials to a variety of nonprofit organizations. The Metropolitan Tulsa Urban League, (MTUL), approached the Community Builder Fellow about a collaborative approach. The new fellowship is called, New Voices, and is funded by the Ford Foundation.

2000-184 South Peoria Neighborhood Connection Foundation

Oral Roberts University (ORU) students conducted research and provided services to low-income residents in the Riverwood community of South Peoria Avenue in Tulsa, OK. Programs were provided through the South Peoria Neighborhood House, a storefront social service center sponsored by the neighborhood association, South Peoria Neighborhood Connection Foundation (501 c 3 organization), through a Community Development Block Grant from the City of Tulsa.

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2000-190 Spring Outreach 2000

The Oral Roberts University’s Office of Community Outreach hosts an annual "Adopt a Family" Spring Outreach celebration in which students in each of the 75 dormitory wings "adopt" a family recruited through the University’s Spring Outreach. During the academic year the students befriend their adopted family and provide services for the families such as mentoring, recreation and entertainment opportunities, cleaning homes, working in yards, and helping to prepare meals. The students meet weekly to discuss the family’s needs. The "Adopt a Family" year ends with a large celebration in a targeted area of the community—the Spring Outreach Celebration.

Approximately 1,000 University students and staff, 1,000 community residents, 25 companies, faith-based organizations, and nonprofits participated in the Spring 2000 Outreach Celebration. This year’s event included the painting and clean-up of nearby apartment complexes, a youth basketball tournament, the distribution of non-perishable food, a mobile medical clinic, a children’s carnival, a free picnic, informational exhibits, and a sign-up for the 2000-2001 "Adopt a Family" program.

2000-425 Fair Housing Partnership, Tulsa, OK

Until April, 1999, Tulsa had no organized advocacy, educational or outreach group devoted to fair housing and civil rights. In April of last year the Tulsa HUD office Community Builder Fellow, in partnership with the City of Tulsa Human Rights Department held a stakeholder meeting under the auspices of the Fair Housing Roundtable. Representatives from a handful of key groups participated in a series of Roundtable meetings throughout out the spring and early summer and selected one major initial goal. The Roundtable partners desgined and conducted a Section 8 training session for current and potential landlords in September,1999. Approximately 100 people attended. The original members of the Roundtable continued to meet and focused on creating highly visible events during National Fair Housing Month 2000 and to use the events as a tool to double, at least, the Roundtable membership.

By doubling the membership, the Roundtable members agreed they would evolve to the next level, or Fair Housing Partnership. Their successful transition from a Roundtable to a Partnership was sheparded by a children's poster contest, a visit from the Deputy Assistant Secretary, FH&EO, Floyd May, a Mayor's reception for Mr. May, wide press coverage, a Mayor's Fair Housing proclamation, a fair housing outreach fair in downtown Tulsa's Bartlett Square that featured information from approximately 15 exhibitors.

2000-426 National Fair Housing Month Poster Contest

As a part of National Fair Housing Month a Fair Housing coalition in Tulsa, OK organized a children's poster contest along the theme of, "What is Home? Welcoming All People." Ten Section 8 and public housing apartment communities participated. The Tulsa HUD Community Builder Fellow conducted training with the Resident Services Staff at the Tulsa Housing Authority and with the nonprofit agencies they contract with to provide recreational programming at the sites. During the first week of April the children were, in turn, educated about fair housing issues. On April 7, 2000 approximately 300 children between ages 8 and 15 drew posters and then had pizza parties at their complex's Recreation Center. Over the weekend the Resident Associations judged the posters and submitted finalists for the city-wide competition.

The six winning young artists were featured on an early morning new program, taken on a tour of the local HUD Office, the Tulsa Housing Authority, to a Judge's Chambers and to a large business in the community to reinforce their commitment to success. Then, the children were introduced at a city-wide fair housing celebration in Tulsa's downtown at which their posters were on display. Each received a trophy and cash prize money as well as had their photograph made with Tulsa Mayor Susan Savage and HUD Deputy Assistant Secretary, FH&EO, Floyd May.

2000-427 Building Leadership Skills: How to Organize and Maintain a Successful Resident Association

This is a 4-segment 16 hour training seminar designed to equip leaders and Resident Association officers in Section 8 and Public Housing communities with basic skills critical to organizing and maintaining effective Resident Associations. The secondary goals include making residents aware of the many resources available to them as they work toward economic self-sufficiency. The Tulsa HUD office Community Builder Fellow wrote, designed and conducts the training. The Authority provides transportation, lunch, and on-going support for the Resident Leaders.

2000-491 Shelter Utilization Survey

In order to effectively assess & develop strategies to prevent homelessness by identifying, monitoring, & working to eliminate the root causes of homelessness local homeless service providers identified the need for current data on the local homeless population to implement these strategies.

To satisfy this need the Tulsa Homeless Services Network developed an annual shelter utilization survey that surveys the sheltered homeless population in the Tulsa area. Local homeless service providers have found the survey information extremely useful in tailoring their services & have requested that this survey be conducted annually. The survey data is also used as part of they local Continuum of Care Gaps Analysis. This year will be the third consecutive year that survey has been performed with nine homeless service providers participating.

2000-575 Mama Talk

In 1996, the leadership of Apache Manor's Resident Association responded to the need for parenting education at their public housing apartment complex. This resident-initiated activity, called "Mama Talk" has been meeting weekly ever since. Sometimes the group brings in guest speakers and sometimes the business is conducted internally. The group offers support for the complex Drop In Learning Center as well as organizes block parties, an on-going food pantry, Bible study sessions, and clothing distribution to needy residents. More than anything, however, Mama Talk focuses on developing skills to be better parents.

2000-614 Center for Community Research and Development

Planning for the Center began in early 1999 and the first public forum was held in the fall of 1999. The Center provides low-cost consultation to community agencies for needs assessments and program evaluations. It hosts community forums that are attended by faculty, community planners, citizens, and agency directors. At each forum the participants share information that leads to understanding community need, coordinating local research efforts, and examining relevant social and public policy.

2000-636 Methamphetamine Workshop

The workshop is presented to all owners and management agents of both insured and non-insured properties to provide vital information about Meth Labs on the property addressing the both the financial and legal consequences the property faces. The material covered is: 1. The Human Side of Methamphetamine which includes the detection of meth labs; how to report a meth lab, and the property implications of the presence of meth labs. 2. Property maintenance after exposure to methamphetamine. 3. Laws and Ordinances, and 4. Your Rights as a Owner/Manager.

2000-799 Community Action Project of Tulsa County (CAPTC)

Under a partnership arrangement among CAPTC, Fannie Mae, Bank One and Self-Help, families can resolve credit problems while leasing a fully renovated home. Bank One has agreed to make $2 million dollars in peramanent mortgage funds available to CAPTC to implement an innovative lease-purchase homeownership program. With credit enhancement on the permanent loans provided by Self Help, Fannie Mae has agreed to purchase such loans from Bank One. The permanent loans will be assumable by CAPTC tenants; if the tenant repairs his/her credit and saves the necessary 3% downpayment within 36 months of occupancy. These funds will enable CAPTC to place approximately forty families in homes which have been fully renovated.

2000-917 Home Ownership Tulsa - Festival of Homes

A day-long home ownership event to recruit individuals to purchase a home in the City of Tulsa with a special emphasis on selected urban neighborhoods. The Festival of Homes is an initiative designed to increase the knowledge and public awareness of the availability and quality of affordable housing stock in existing neighborhoods. The Festival of Homes included bus tours showcasing Lacy Park, Brady Heights, Kendall-Whittier, Jackson, Springdale West, Owen Park & Irvin neighborhoods. Over 15 different types of workshops were presented at the OSU-Tulsa Campus. These seminars provided potential homebuyers information on all aspects of the home buying process. Workshops were presented in both English and Spanish. Participants were also given the opportunity to browse exhibits of homebuilders, realtors, banks and mortgage companies, non-profits, government agencies, schools and other housing retailers.

2000-954 Initiative Housing Initiatives

A project designed to expand housing opportunities for low and moderate income persons in the Metropolitan Tulsa HOME Consortium region, the Consortium will fund a variety of housing programs over the next three years. The housing needs of the elderly will be addressed through the new construction of three elderly congregate apartment developments at sites scattered throughout the service area, and through an on-going owner-occupied, single-family housing rehabilitation program.

The housing needs of young, low and moderate income families will be addressed through a homebuyer assistance program, which provides downpayment and closing assistance to homebuyers of single-family units. Types of housing initiatives the new construction of single family units or the acquisition and rehabilitation of existing vacant, repairable single family units. Requests for Proposals for this activity will be developed and solicited from Consortium designated Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDO).

2000-1187 Continuum of Care Plan for City of Tulsa, OK

In 1999, the City of Tulsa, Oklahoma Continuum of Care Homeless Assistance Plan was funded through HUD SuperNOFA funds at approximately $1.3 million dollars, providing funds to four projects: Volunteers of America of Oklahoma's Supportive Housing Program to provide eight units of supportive housing for persons with disabilities; Mental Health Association in Tulsa's Safe Haven renewal program to provide 25 Single Room Occupancy units to hard-to-serve, severely mentally ill persons; Salvation Army's Supportive Housing program to provide transitional living and support services to homeless families; and Domestic Violence Intervention Services Transitional Living program for women and children who are homeless as a result of domestic violence.

2000-2396 Normandy Apartments

Since December 1998, 29 Russian families have migrated to Normandy Apartments in Tulsa, OK. This represents 15% of the total units and almost 20% of Normandy's total resident population. The complex had to have a way to communicate with the newly arriving non-English speaking family and felt the need to help the families assimilate into their new community. Normandy hired a Russian speaking housekeeper and a Russian translator. The translator helps with apartment complex translation needs as well as helps with issues that occur at the schools, utility companies, schools, etc. A cell phone was provided to assist with translations in emergency situations involving police, fire, ambulance, etc. Because of the help of all the partners, 45% of the Russian families have at least one person who is now gainfully employed in their new home. Three families have become homeowners and another family has been selected for a Habitat for Humanity House. Another nine families are considered elderly or disabled and are receiving benefits from Social Security.

2000-2909 Village Square/River Wood Village

One way to revitalize and save a neighborhood is to encourage a high level of homeownership. When people invest in a home they also invest a neighborhood, which means that have a stake in its physical attractiveness and the quality of life it affords. In December of 1995, Tulsa Housing Authority (THA) completed the acquisition of the Village Square Apartments previously owned by the Resolution Trust Corporation. THA, in collaboration with the City of Tulsa, began the long awaited demolition of Village Square in February of 1996. Mayor M. Susan Savage recommended, and the Tulsa City Council approved, the use of CDBG funds to demolish all eighty-eight (88) buildings, which consisted of 356 units.

This effort assisted the neighborhood in reducing crime and stabilization of the surrounding neighborhood. In 1999, THA entered into a unique agreement with Beale Development, Inc. They would purchase lots for $8,000 each, build modest but good quality single-family homes and sell them to first time buyers. THA began selling the vacant lots on a lot-by-lot basis to Beale Development, Inc. Today more that 50 homes have been built and sold.

Content Archived: April 20, 2011