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Tulsa council approves four Main Street designations; Greenwood residents question use of funds
Summary
The Tulsa City Council voted to approve four Main Street designations — Greenwood, Route 66, Kendall Whittier and the Global District — after public commenters raised concerns about whether money intended for Greenwood has been spent in the neighborhood.
The Tulsa City Council voted to approve four Main Street designations — Greenwood Main Street, Route 66, Kendall Whittier and the Global (formerly International) District — at the 5 p.m. Tulsa City Council meeting.
The designations were adopted with an emergency clause on two agenda items (4M and 4N). A motion to approve items 4B through 4N passed unanimously on a roll call vote.
The decision comes after multiple residents urged the council during public comment to clarify how Main Street and related redevelopment funds have been allocated in North Tulsa and to Greenwood specifically. “This has gotta stop, people. And this money, where is it going to?” said James Alexander Jr., a resident who addressed the council during public comment. Another resident pressed the council for specifics about whether the Main Street designation would cover the 40-block historic area associated with the 1921 massacre or a broader North Tulsa area.
Council members and staff responded that Greenwood had been added to the Main Street program previously on the recommendation of community leaders and of Councilor Hall Harper. Council staff and councilors pointed audience members to more detailed discussion at the April 30 Urban and Economic Development (UED) committee meeting as the first place to find documentary backup and that the council would consider public comments when acting on the items.
A councilor also noted state funding prospects, saying that House Bill 2407 would create an opportunity for Main Street programs to apply for state grant funds if enacted; the council’s discussion did not adopt or change state law but referenced the bill as a potential future funding source.
Why it matters: Main Street is a national program used locally to support rehabilitation and small-business development in historic commercial districts. Designation can both signal local investment priorities and open new grant avenues at the state level. For Greenwood — a neighborhood with longstanding community interest in redevelopment and historical preservation — residents said transparency about spending and program scope remains a central concern.
Council action: The council approved items 4B through 4N with emergency clauses on 4M and 4N. The approval was unanimous in the roll call recorded in the meeting minutes.
Public comment and next steps: Speakers urged the council to provide a clearer accounting of funds and to ensure that federal and state grants intended for historically Black neighborhoods are directed as intended. Council members recommended that concerned residents review the April 30 UED meeting materials and noted staff would follow up in committee and through posted backup materials.
The council’s action establishes the local designation and preserves the districts’ eligibility for programs administered through the Oklahoma Main Street Center and any state funding that may be made available under bills such as HB 2407.
