Homelessness in Tulsa: Can we reach 'functional zero' by 2030?

Tulsa’s latest snapshot of homelessness shows a smaller increase than last year, but local leaders say the fight is far from over.

According to the 2025 Point-in-Time (PIT) Count, conducted in January, 1,449 people were experiencing homelessness across Tulsa County. That’s a 4% increase from the year before, compared to a 22.5% spike between 2023 and 2024.

Mayor Monroe Nichols: “We’re Slowing the Growth”

Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols says while he won’t celebrate any increase in homelessness, the smaller jump shows that new strategies may be making an impact.

“Last year, the growth in homelessness was like 20%. This year, it’s a 4% increase,” Nichols said. “We can always get better. We have to get better…But there are signs that at least we’re going in the right direction.”

Nichols praised the work of A Way Home for Tulsa, a coalition of more than 60 organizations tackling homelessness through a coordinated system. Still, he emphasized the need for more investment in shelter capacity and affordable housing.

“Imagine if right now we’ve essentially decreased the rate at which homelessness is growing,” he said. “Once we start investing more in the city, we think we can start to decrease it every year.”

Nichols reaffirmed his administration’s commitment to reaching “functional zero”—a status where homelessness is rare and brief—by 2030.

“It’s going to take some time. It’s not going to be easy. But we’re going to get there,” he said.

3 in 4 People Experiencing Homelessness Are from Tulsa

Mark Smith, CEO of Housing Solutions, reminded the public that outsiders do not cause homelessness in Tulsa—it’s overwhelmingly a local issue.

“Eighty-two percent of the people that we surveyed first became homeless in Oklahoma. Seventy-five percent of people first became homeless in Tulsa,” Smith said. “This is a local problem, and it’s going to take local, collaborative efforts.”

Smith cited rising housing costs, limited shelter availability, and high eviction rates as key drivers of the issue. He also called out common public misconceptions.

“When we say the words ‘affordable housing,’ people assume that means crime or lower property values,” Smith said. “Every neighborhood needs more housing. We need housing of all kinds.”

By the Numbers: 2025 PIT Count

Race & Ethnicity Breakdown (2025)

1. 47% White
2. 28% Black
3. 20% American Indian
4. 7% Latino

Top Causes of Homelessness (2025)

1. Lack of affordable housing
2. Loss of income or benefits
3. Mental health challenges

Housing Solutions also reported a 93% housing retention rate in 2024, despite a growing number of people waiting for permanent housing, more than 2,700 individuals.

What’s Next?

Mayor Nichols says his administration remains committed to creating 6,000 new affordable housing units and increasing shelter capacity. Housing Solutions and A Way Home for Tulsa are also rolling out a five-year strategic plan, which includes:

1. Stopping homelessness before it begins
2. Transforming the system of care
3. Increasing access to housing
4. Building partnerships & solutions across Tulsa

“We know where we are, and we know what we have to do,” Nichols said. “The question is: are we going to do it?”

You can view the full PIT report and learn about the city’s A Way Home for Tulsa coalition at housingsolutionstulsa.org.