On the streets of Oklahoma City, efforts are ramping up to clean house—or rather, state property—as Governor Kevin Stitt initiates a Tulsa-tested strategy. Dubbed Operation SAFE, this campaign led by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT), is on a mission to scour state lands of homeless encampments and miscellaneous clutter. According to a recent announcement, the move is in response to clamor from the city's business sector and constituents for a cleaner, safer Oklahoma City.
Jumping off from its Tulsa beginnings, Operation SAFE is leveraging the might of the state to deal with properties under its purview, which range from underpasses to state edifices and other state-held lands. As mentioned, "After the success of Operation SAFE in Tulsa, business leaders and stakeholders quickly requested the state to do the same here in Oklahoma City," Gov. Stitt informed in a statement. Going a step further than just clean-up, the state is partnering with Key to Home, a local initiative put in place to bridge those ousted from state grounds to support services and potential housing.
Key to Home stands as a public/private amalgam, which since its inception in 2023, has engaged over 50 different partners from public, private, and non-profit sectors. Renowned for their ability to send outreach teams into the heart of encampments to extend a helping hand, the partnership reportedly connected 446 individuals to housing and shuttered 25 encampments within Oklahoma City. "We’ve worked hard to coordinate efforts more effectively and create a streamlined pathway to restoration for our neighbors who are sleeping outside," Jamie Caves, Homeless Strategy Implementation Manager for the Key to Home Partnership, said, capturing the ethos behind the group's quick, dignified approach to rehousing.
