Mark your calendars, folks: Oklahoma City is diving headfirst into the tough conversation around affordable housing. A forum set to take place September 23 will assemble residents, city honchos, and housing experts under one roof to hash out solutions to the city's crunch for affordable homes. The event, which kicks off at 6:30 p.m. at the Metro Tech’s Springlake Campus Conference Center, is open to everyone who's got a stake in the matter..
Amid climbing rents, a squeezable housing supply, and wage disparities that only seem to widen, OKC residents are finding it tougher to nail down a safe, affordable roof over their heads. The evening's agenda, according to the Oklahoma City government's announcement, will cover the Key to Home Partnership, current initiatives on affordable housing, details on the recently minted Housing Advisory Group, and a panel discussion giving the lowdown on the city's current housing situation.
Leading this charge are Ward 2 Councilperson James Cooper, Ward 6 Councilwoman JoBeth Hamon, and Ward 7 Councilman Camal Pennington. Alongside them, City of Oklahoma City Strategy Implementation Managers Shannon Entz and Jamie Caves will step up to the podium to present their findings.
On the gravity of the issue, Councilperson James Cooper didn't mince words. "Oklahoma City has a severe shortage of affordable housing, particularly for residents in extremely low and median-income households, including teachers, public health workers, and those in retail, hospitality and service industry," Cooper said in a statement shared by the City of Oklahoma City. "This forum is an opportunity for the community to better understand our challenges and to learn, about the steps we are taking as a City to expand access to safe, stable housing." With the forum free to attend and no registration required, it's a chance for open dialogue and to glean insights straight from the city's strategists.
