[{"_1":2,"_98":-5,"_99":-5},"loaderData",{"_3":4,"_26":27},"root",{"_5":6,"_17":10,"_18":19,"_20":21,"_22":10,"_23":-5,"_24":-5,"_25":10},"user",{"_7":8,"_9":10,"_11":10,"_12":-5,"_13":-5,"_14":15,"_16":-5},"roles",[],"isAuthenticated",false,"isPremium","planName","subscriptionStatus","featureFlags",{},"insightsBudget","isDevelopmentHost","userPreferences",{},"recaptchaSiteKey","6LcvOJcUAAAAAHsB-gPGfGktcRlKpH7OTIU_dMTD","isImpersonating","impersonation","affiliateStatus","isFreedomPortal","routes/v2/article/layout",{"_28":29,"_30":31},"notFound",true,"relatedArticles",[32,75,87],{"_33":34,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":40,"_41":42,"_43":44,"_45":46,"_47":48,"_49":50,"_51":52,"_53":54,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":60,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":66,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},"mediaId",6581325,"mediaKeyId","3160384-343a8be89ef1a2c7adb44cecc7186cb4","parentId",3160384,"title","Saving Our Homes program reports 108 tax payments and urges outreach before ARPA sunset","audioSeconds",1702,"startMs",940000,"endMs",2642000,"viewUrl","/Search/View?dp=1&key=3160384-343a8be89ef1a2c7adb44cecc7186cb4&start=940&end=2642","thumbnailUrl","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3160384-343a8be89ef1a2c7adb44cecc7186cb4/thumbnail_940000.jpg","articleUrl","/articles/6581325/Tulsa/Tulsa-County/Oklahoma/Saving-Our-Homes-program-reports-108-tax-payments-and-urges-outreach-before-ARPA-sunset","mediaUrl","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6581325-0625ba943254631cb9776b2305c0be35/orig.mp4?Expires=1775652538&Signature=EqfeW8owdSrJP2ufLEmoBZz41sKZodrn~ZUhguKPVM7bx4ySMmey3V7E~2KvsP0IhK4rjseH-~WlS5GOGjdiTSNRydSg4dtSdHkbOr7F2PvJ-s2fiCbppdk4HEvVZvoEojVXjyO5VOsV-fekOS1-9mbNbYk2qX7iFZnvHd4hCDhazd3n7qwL2oOjLfxAoy9pWmpFLLC62g~FC0dlrg9H9iaCLYGESigbaHF7SuR9CPzEXLBs--10FnZf79B80lPpzOigwkZ~ePRfH3RgfgOejXSoCs85GZwXxNrLeMUNJfxE~N-GhlX~Zz5z6AIBctwoZjSLusGa8vkJG0x9TiJVKQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","author","Tulsa","date","2025-04-30T14:44:00Z","article","The Saving Our Homes initiative, a city program funded with ARPA dollars and led by the Tulsa Economic Development Corporation, has paid delinquent property taxes for 108 households, completed 58 education sessions and enrolled 42 participants in the Financial Empowerment Center, project director Lenora Enloe told the council. Enloe said the program also helped at least seven people begin clearing title and requires participants to attend an education session before assistance.

Enloe said the program’s award is “up to $4,000,” though a contract amendment allows staff to exceed that amount in certain circumstances. She told the council that ARPA rules prevent the program from paying taxes due in 2021 or earlier, which limits help for long‑standing tax debt. Enloe said the program began operating at scale about a year ago after contracting and startup delays.

Enloe summarized takeaways: the program has a $500,000 allocation, with about $138,000 remaining as of March; roughly 70% of spending has gone to property‑tax payments, 27% to salaries and 3% to marketing. The city also received a separate Invest North grant to cover some back taxes that ARPA could not pay, she said. Enloe said ARPA dollars must be spent legally by Dec. 31, 2026, and the program contract as configured suns out June 30; staff asked the council to consider how to extend or reallocate funds if there is intent to continue.

Council members and public commentators pressed for two policy changes: (1) facilitate monthly payment plans through the county treasurer to make property taxes easier for fixed‑income and low‑income households to pay, and (2) strengthen local legal capacity for title clearance. Enloe said Tulsa University’s legal clinic (TU Legal) helps clear title but has limited capacity and that the program refers clients to TU Legal and other nonprofits. Council members noted that only one county in the state permits monthly property‑tax payments and discussed HB2003 and state constraints; staff agreed to follow up with the county treasurer and state contacts on whether treasurers may accept installment plans.

Speakers described personal testimonials during the meeting: multiple residents thanked the program for paying late taxes and keeping them in their homes. Enloe and council members said media outreach generates the largest number of applicants and asked for assistance to publicize remaining funds so they can be expended before the contract sunset.

Council members asked staff to provide more data on applicant geography and program outcomes; Enloe said the program collects city and address data and has a map identifying areas of concentrated need (she noted North Tulsa and West Tulsa as areas with high rates of tax‑loss). Council members also discussed possible next steps: a media push to exhaust remaining funds, exploring a long‑term payment plan model with the county or a nonprofit escrow arrangement to accept monthly payments, and identifying sustainable funding sources if the council wants to continue the program beyond the current contract.

No formal council vote on funding or contract extension was recorded in the meeting transcript.","mediaType","Video","parentTitle","Tulsa - Council Public Works Committee - Apr 30, 2025","oneSentenceSummary","Lenora Enloe, project director for the Saving Our Homes initiative, told the council the city program has paid delinquent property taxes for 108 households, completed 58 education sessions and enrolled 42 people in financial counseling; she said $138,000 remained in the program budget as of March and urged a media outreach push before the ARPA‑funded contract sunsets June 30.","taxTitle","Tulsa, Tulsa County, Oklahoma","taxId",2682,"location","headline","","shortSummary",{"_33":76,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":77,"_41":78,"_43":79,"_45":80,"_47":81,"_49":82,"_51":83,"_53":84,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":85,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":86,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6581330,"City staff brief council on easement closures, condemnation and surplus-lot requests as right‑of‑way work advances",786,14000,800000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3160384-343a8be89ef1a2c7adb44cecc7186cb4&start=14&end=800","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3160384-343a8be89ef1a2c7adb44cecc7186cb4/thumbnail_14000.jpg","/articles/6581330/Tulsa/Tulsa-County/Oklahoma/City-staff-brief-council-on-easement-closures-condemnation-and-surplus-lot-requests-as-rightofway-work-advances","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6581330-ecc32e62fcfc584b75f3b2e892eccde2/orig.mp4?Expires=1775652538&Signature=NC1CDuRwFQ8y8R2Tk6FXP2R9cGqQOZhknbKM475E5f9ijhR-eGJ-pLwvHee04PE1R9unB-~V9fFb-3-JqToRzSsMdjVpCfO9YxfbC5GHEgf45jdtTsi~RSGDw8JDX2hqSFjJnqwuNfY9i6lperTcTAvt-PLB~1BK8iRu95aJTgX1rlayBFpQ-LrDG~3a03pWj7VZw2s042pWM53W8AHjDO7maM-bUwIhK2k5JM3iavIRwZMolejGgLB3pVv-xdKSWqrlpu~BXVxNOiJBSNWmKY52gdaLDCTvZQo1ySaIoIiDHPhY6uPqrk2xKLypmo7a3WnuHisS~DMHAl1at9hYMA__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff presented a series of property and right‑of‑way items to the Tulsa City Council, including requests to close utility easements tied to existing encroachments, an ordinance to vacate a portion of public way on North Cheyenne Avenue, a condemnation resolution for a sliver of land needed for a widening project, a change order tied to a contractor working in District 4, and a request to declare a small city lot surplus to support the Indian Health Center expansion. No final votes or formal outcomes were recorded on these items in the transcript.

Staff member Paul Zachary of the Public Works department said the easement‑closure requests respond to existing encroachments that were not cleared when earlier vacations were processed, creating title and surface conflicts. Zachary described one case as a “17½‑foot easement” where utilities expect to retain rights while the city closes surplus surface rights to resolve title issues. He said utilities were generally willing to allow closure while retaining an operational easement underneath.

Zachary also presented an ordinance request to close a portion of public way at 12 North Cheyenne Avenue, submitted by Jamie Skipper of Wallace Design Collective to legalize an existing overhang and former loading dock that extend into the right of way. Zachary said the structure had functioned as an overhang and loading dock for about five years and that staff anticipates private utilities will retain subterranean easement rights if the parcel is vacated.

On another item, staff described a resolution authorizing condemnation of property owned by AG Comstock RE Holdings LLC for the widening of 80 First Street and the Highway 75 interchange. Staff said negotiations with the owner have been ongoing since October 2024 and that the city needs temporary right of way and utility easements to keep the state‑timed project on schedule. The presentation noted the project is at risk of delayed state work in September if right of way is not certified by mid‑August; staff estimated one parcel’s easement cost at about $164,000 and the parcel across the street could require about $500,000 in relocations.

Council members asked staff to continue negotiations and, if necessary, pursue judicial condemnation with an appraisal and deposit to secure possession. Staff said it would pursue both tracks — continued negotiation and parallel judicial steps if the owner does not respond.

Staff also presented change order No. 1 for contract 136712 between the City of Tulsa and Darris Contractors LLC for project 2242P00030. The change order added 71 calendar days to the contract and recorded no additional contract dollars; staff said the extra days were needed because PSO required a heavier power cable for pumps, creating a need to switch to a buried line, set a new transformer and perform approximately 900 feet of boring. Staff said the contractor paused while those utility changes were completed and continued demolition and other work during the pause.

Finally, staff asked the council to declare a small city lot at 1201 East Fifth Street surplus so that asset management can proceed with disposition options that could dovetail with the Indian Health Center’s expansion immediately to the south. Staff provided aerial maps and said the lot sits adjacent to the center’s construction trailers; legal and asset management will determine whether to auction the lot or pursue a negotiated transfer.

None of the items in this series recorded a motion, second or vote in the meeting transcript. Council members asked for additional follow‑up on negotiations for the condemnation parcel and clarity about retained utility rights in the easement and vacation items.","City staff presented a package of public‑works land actions — easement closures for existing encroachments, an ordinance request to vacate a limited portion of right of way on North Cheyenne Avenue, a condemnation resolution tied to a widening project, a contractor change order and a surplus‑lot declaration for the Indian Health Center site — and asked the council to approve or receive the items for the closure and disposition process. No formal votes are recorded in the transcript.",{"_33":88,"_35":36,"_37":38,"_39":89,"_41":90,"_43":91,"_45":91,"_47":92,"_49":93,"_51":94,"_53":95,"_55":56,"_57":58,"_59":96,"_61":62,"_63":64,"_65":97,"_67":68,"_69":70,"_71":68,"_72":73,"_74":73},6581322,"City reports 55 responses to housing RFI and outlines RFP goals for administering IOT3 funds",0,2680000,"/Search/View?dp=1&key=3160384-343a8be89ef1a2c7adb44cecc7186cb4&start=2680&end=2680","https://assets.pipeline.soar.com/3160384-343a8be89ef1a2c7adb44cecc7186cb4/thumbnail_2680000.jpg","/articles/6581322/Tulsa/Tulsa-County/Oklahoma/City-reports-55-responses-to-housing-RFI-and-outlines-RFP-goals-for-administering-IOT3-funds","https://secure.pipeline.soar.com/6581322-62ee7bd87ba4b7cbc98d0d1320f8be51/orig.mp4?Expires=1775652538&Signature=TcpACuTcde~g6Cse5jQE9pIBIR6rCM3ABUqBlBFr1f-g9EpNHv35zprgjETDfbz1IJqOjo3GkWs1QADilzfvfHgOuUG9PnmyI7tyBLZHUe7JRrtjcJLrk4R2YK2vk5w8Pfd6UpErHK--Ut6xbrPA4gcXGZjkFk~lc56tuG0YsVpdlaVzyTSJv3jp2tRrUz4-3cXVXZVG0Y9~Yg3hDkWvy2XtBVq5z6FwVAHQjYxnS97p~E9TdxDzG4SxIZfQ8drayNMChCIUSpQlvlc8MRiPu1W0jZlkpQFyC18vEZqfUJMp4cGuRfV1JzBWg~M2dUnM~5eejFiSVRe8DBtFh4w8vQ__&Key-Pair-Id=KUT5TJCACFTXG","City staff reported results of a spring Request for Information (RFI) for the Improve Our Tulsa (IOT3) housing funds and discussed plans for a Request for Proposals (RFP) to find a third‑party administrator for an approximately $75 million program. Staff said the RFI returned 55 responses that described 37 distinct housing projects totaling 9,342 units and that many respondents had already assembled substantial outside financing.

Staff said the respondents estimated a combined project funding gap of about $575 million and nearly $1 billion in secured or expected financing across the projects. Of the 9,342 units identified, staff said roughly 62% (about 5,761 units) could be completed by 2028, indicating that a portion of proposals are near‑term developments.

When asked where city funds would be most useful, respondents most frequently cited grants and loans (the investment program) and infrastructure assistance; staff said applicants could indicate multiple funding needs. Staff reported that about 16% of respondents signaled rehabilitation assistance would be helpful; staff also noted about 20% of projects said they would require rezoning, while the remainder did not.

The presentation framed next steps: staff proposed issuing an RFP to select a partner to administer the funds, prioritizing urgency and capacity to stand up operations quickly; demonstrated experience navigating public‑private‑philanthropic partnerships; ability to coordinate with other public programs and funds; equity and project‑selection criteria; and local knowledge or relationships. Council members discussed whether to favor Tulsa‑based vendors or require recent Tulsa experience, and staff said the RFP can ask proposers to describe local experience and relationships.

Council members asked follow‑up questions including: a) whether proposed projects identified specific parcels or general areas (some did, but not all); b) the dollar share that would likely fall to infrastructure (staff said they have that detail and will provide it); c) how many projects would need rezoning (staff said about 20% reported they would); and d) whether respondents were vetted for developer track records and property maintenance (staff said project selection and incentive policy will include diligence questions and that the RFP should ask proposers about their due‑diligence processes).

Staff said the RFP timeline would likely follow standard procurement timelines (roughly 30 days for responses and 90–120 days for selection) and noted that any decision on bonding forward IOT3 dollars must be coordinated with bond counsel and the ARPA/Grants office. Staff recommended returning to council with a draft RFP that incorporates the council’s priorities and with more detailed infrastructure cost breakdowns and rezoning counts.

No final procurement decision or bonding authorization was recorded in the meeting transcript; staff asked council for direction on priorities to include in the RFP.","City staff briefed council on results from a spring request for information for the Improve Our Tulsa (IOT3) housing funds: 55 respondents proposed 37 housing projects totaling 9,342 units; staff estimated a $575 million funding gap and about $1 billion in secured/expected financing. Staff proposed an RFP to select a third‑party administrator and ","actionData","errors"]

Article not found

Saving Our Homes program reports 108 tax payments and urges outreach before ARPA sunset

City staff brief council on easement closures, condemnation and surplus-lot requests as right‑of‑way work advances

City reports 55 responses to housing RFI and outlines RFP goals for administering IOT3 funds