For the first time since 2022, Oklahoma City’s annual Point-in-Time count shows overall homelessness edging down instead of up, with a 1% drop from last year. City leaders and the Key to Home Partnership rolled out the latest numbers at the partnership’s State of Homelessness Address, crediting coordinated rehousing and street outreach for nudging the trend line in the right direction. Beneath the modest win, though, is a sobering stat: 55% of people counted as unsheltered were experiencing homelessness for the first time. Local providers say that mix of progress and fresh pressure highlights how much work remains around prevention, faster exits to housing and stable funding.
What the count shows
The latest Point-in-Time snapshot found a small but symbolic 1% decrease in total homelessness compared with 2025 and flagged that a majority of unsheltered residents tallied were newly homeless. According to KOCO, the figures, unveiled at the Key to Home event, mark Oklahoma City’s first overall decline in homelessness since 2022. City and partnership leaders at the event also talked up plans to expand housing pathways and step in earlier so fewer people enter the system in the first place.
Key to Home credited with housing gains
Officials pointed to the Key to Home Partnership’s Encampment Rehousing Initiative and coordinated housing exits as key drivers behind the shift. Per the City of Oklahoma City, the partnership has moved roughly 500 people into housing since launching in 2023 and has previously reported sizable reductions in chronic unsheltered homelessness. City materials describe a web of more than 50 agencies working together to connect people to permanent housing and provide ongoing case management to keep them there.
Officials stress prevention over new shelter
At the State of Homelessness Address, Jamie Caves, the partnership’s homeless strategy implementation manager, pushed back on the idea that another large shelter is the answer and instead urged the community to double down on early intervention and housing connections. “When people become homeless, we want them to be able to access services through the shelters, the day centers and get connected to a pathway to housing,” Caves said, as reported by KOCO. That emphasis lines up with a broader local shift toward housing-first strategies and stronger diversion programs that keep people out of shelters altogether when possible.
Why the dip may not stick
Advocates and service providers caution that a one percent slide is not exactly a cushion and could easily reverse if the flow of newly homeless residents is not slowed and affordable units are not brought online more quickly. Independent coverage and local nonprofit reporting note that Key to Home’s early wins hinge on sustained funding and faster placements into permanent housing, and stakeholders have already raised alarms about resource gaps. Nondoc reported that partners are pressing for more capacity for housing exits and for stronger state and local support to keep the momentum going.
Next steps and resources
Looking ahead, Key to Home and city officials say they will keep a close eye on the data while scaling up targeted rehousing, outreach and prevention strategies to build on the early decline instead of watching it vanish. For people seeking help, the City of Oklahoma City directs residents to call 2-1-1 or visit Heartline Oklahoma for referrals and services, according to the city’s homelessness resources. Local coverage and city updates outline the full Point-in-Time count and lay out the partnership’s action plan as it moves into its next phase.
