Tulsa's Mayor Criticizes Operation SAFE for Failing to Address Homelessness Needs Effectively

Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols raised concerns about the state’s Operation Safe initiative, saying there was no coordination with the city and questioning its impact on homeless residents.

Wednesday, September 10th 2025, 9:43 am

By: Brooke Cox

TULSA, Okla. -

Tulsa has several major initiatives underway right now, from new plans to reduce homelessness to expanding housing options across the city.

Tulsa Mayor Monroe Nichols spoke with LeAnne Taylor on these topics.

Q: This has been a very interesting time as the governor has unveiled Operation SAFE. When did you find out about this, and how is the collaboration between the state and the city?

Nichols: "There is no real collaboration between the state and the city. I found out about it Thursday through a press release. Like we all did. I found out about it. The Tulsa Police Department found out about it then, the fire department, every service provider in this community found out about it then.

"There was zero coordination when it came to this particular action by the governor. I think that's what's so frustrating for everybody is that you do this, you displace people. There's no strategy around getting them housed. There's no real strategy around them getting services. There's not been one arrest, there's not been one person they've transported to get a service.

"And so it has been the kind of interruption that will have a public safety impact 'cause you've taken a lot of people, you've kind of interrupted them, and you've just said you can't be here, but go on and we don't know what's gonna happen to you."

Q: So how did you respond to this? How did you feel about it?

Nichols: "I mean, I was obviously angry. Last time I was here, we talked about Safe Move, so a very methodical way in which we were gonna house 300 people and provide them with the services that they need as part of our plan to get to functional zero by 2030.

"The reality is when it comes to decommissioning encampments, that's work that we do often. And it is the Tulsa Police Department, the Tulsa Fire Department, mental health professionals, and folks who are supports for housing. So that we're getting people, we are truly getting them to a better alternative than what they have.

"Since we kicked off the work with Be Heard, taking people out of downtown to Be Heard, there's been 1,200 rides out there. Folks are taking showers for the first time since January. Folks are getting connected with housing through Housing Solutions. Family Children Services and Cree Oaks are both out there, so we're getting people to places where they can be helped.

"So, you know, we want to sustainably and very durably end homelessness, shifting it all around town is not a real strategy. It may look good on social media. You may get a few likes and you might get to say that you're taking it seriously, but it is not a serious response to this challenge. Homelessness here is no different in a lot of ways than it is in Oklahoma City. We do have issues because so many of our services are downtown. You see a lot of issues downtown, which is not typical for a city our size.

"But this is a challenge for the entire state of Oklahoma. And we have a governor that's targeted one city, and everybody can guess why he may do that, but it's targeted one city and had the most basic understanding of very complicated challenge, one that we've been working really hard on here in Tulsa."

Q: Some people say there are people on the street who have no interest in getting help. They don’t want to work or take services. What’s your response to that?

Nichols: "Yeah, I mean, I just go off data, right? So data from other communities that have been in this work for a long time says that about 85 to 88% of people who are offered a service, take it up. And so for me, I like to make plans based on the 88, not necessarily the 12.

"And so for the folks who don't want that, then you have other alternatives for them. But if the data is true, as it is in places all across the country, that means there's 88% of 1,500 people that want a better life, and they're counting on us to try to figure out how to get them there."

The Mental Health Association of Oklahoma has also weighed in, urging the governor to reconsider Operation SAFE, saying it does not address the root causes of homelessness.