Housing Partnership Network Brings New Housing Opportunities To Tulsa

Housing Partnership Network (HPN) plans to work throughout the city, focusing strongly on North Tulsa, where decades of disinvestment and a long history of discrimination have limited opportunities.

Q: What is the Housing Partnership Network?

The Housing Partnership Network is an award-winning nonprofit collaborative of 100+ of the nation’s leading affordable housing and community development organizations, an Aeris-rated CDFI, and a HUD-certified housing counseling intermediary. Members work in all 50 states, in urban, suburban, and rural markets.

Q: What brought the organization to Tulsa?

The Housing Partnership Network selects cities where they are invited, and the community's need for affordable housing is significant, with solutions that align with the strengths of HPN.

The organization, CDFI Friendly Tulsa, which supports underserved communities, helped bring HPN to the city. The Anne & Henry Zarrow Foundation also provided nearly $1 million in grant money to launch this initiative.

Q: How long has this concept been in the works?

Housing Partnership Network says this new initiative has been in the works for nearly a year.

Q: How will this be different from what’s currently displayed in the Tulsa housing market? 

Rather than different, leaders say they think of the addition of the Housing Partnership Network as expanding to meet the needs defined in Tulsa.

The Tulsa Housing Strategy calls for improved housing policy and enhanced and expanded financing options for housing development. HPN has the capacity and expertise in these areas. 

1. From page 12: "There is a need for new gap funding, financing tools, removing barriers from policies and processes, advocacy, and expanding capacity to meet this need."  

Q: What areas of the city will benefit from this collaboration?

The Housing Partnership Network says it plans to focus its attention on North Tulsa, which has a high poverty rate. Leaders say the poverty rate in North Tulsa tops 33 percent, and the median income is less than half that of South Tulsa.

The network plans to create a new development group to attract investment and partner with local firms, especially those led by developers of color.

Q: How has the Housing Partnership Network helped other cities?

Housing Partnership Network says it's invested nearly $172 billion in affordable housing in all 50 states.