Tulsa Housing Authority is preparing to hand over keys to the first tenants of The Hilltop, a 106-unit affordable housing development on the edge of downtown Tulsa, with move-ins possible as early as the week after Thursday. The agency announced the opening of the first two of the project's six buildings, marking a major milestone for a $36 million development years in the making.
According to Tulsa World, the complex will eventually offer a mix of one-, two- and three-bedroom units, combining subsidized apartments with Low-Income Housing Tax Credit units. Rent for the tax-credit units runs $985 a month for a one-bedroom, $1,179 for a two-bedroom and $1,364 for a three-bedroom, while rent on the subsidized units is calculated based on a tenant's income, the outlet reports. The project is far from finished: construction continues on the remaining buildings and shared amenities, with completion targeted for May 2027.
A Path Out of Homelessness Built Into the Project
Twenty of The Hilltop's units are specifically dedicated to people exiting homelessness, funded through the City of Tulsa's HOME-ARP dollars, according to the City of Tulsa. Tulsa Housing Authority senior vice president of development Kent Keith said the third of the six buildings is expected to be delivered in January, with construction crews still working on a dog park and a barbecue pergola area, per the Tulsa World report.
Prospective tenants must go through a qualification process that reviews income and household makeup to determine both eligibility and the right unit fit, the outlet notes. Hensley said that process matters because of how differently families are sized — a single person cannot move into a three-bedroom unit, and a household with three children will not be placed in a one-bedroom, she said. People interested in applying can contact Tulsa Housing Authority officials or book a tour online, per the same account.
From Condemned Complex to City-Backed Project
The Hilltop sits on the site of the former Sunset Plaza Apartments, where the Tulsa Housing Authority acquired the property, the Tulsa World report states. City officials had deemed Sunset Plaza a public nuisance in 2023 after concluding the complex had fallen into extreme disrepair under an out-of-state landlord. Residents who had been living there before demolition were relocated with help from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, the housing authority said, and the Tulsa Housing Authority used the vacated complex for Tulsa Fire Department training before tearing it down to make room for the new project.
Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols said safe, stable and affordable housing strengthens families and the city as a whole, according to the Tulsa World report. The Hilltop's financing was formalized last year, when the Tulsa Housing Authority confirmed it had secured funding for the 106-unit project in the downtown area. The city's Housing Acceleration Team worked to quickly issue six building permits for the development, according to the City of Tulsa.
Part of a Broader Affordability Push
The project arrives amid a documented housing crunch across Tulsa. The city's 2023 Housing Strategy found Tulsa needs roughly 13,000 new housing units by 2033 to meet demand, including 6,000 affordable units by 2028, according to the City of Tulsa. The city's housing office also reports that nearly 46% of Tulsa renters are considered cost-burdened, spending an outsized share of their income on rent.
Earlier reporting from Tulsa World had tracked the project's earlier stages, including a groundbreaking ceremony once earthwork began at the site at 266 E. Independence St. Now, with the first two buildings ready to welcome residents, The Hilltop marks a tangible step toward chipping away at that shortfall — even as crews continue building out the remaining four buildings and amenities through next spring.
