Housing Solutions’ Landlord Tenant Resource Center (LTRC) will celebrate its first year of operating the Social Services Hub at Iron Gate on Wednesday, Aug. 3, having helped thousands of individuals avoid homelessness before it begins.

The Social Services Hub operates four days a week just across the street from the Tulsa County eviction court, granting easy access to people approaching homelessness.

“It’s been a very productive first year,” said Shandi Campbell, LTRC director. “The LTRC team connects with hundreds of people each month who are at risk of becoming homeless. The hub’s location — literally across the street from eviction court — creates earlier and more-direct intervention opportunities. We’re continuing to see a positive community impact with a decrease in Tulsa County’s eviction rate.”

Eviction rates — comparing evictions filed to evictions granted — dropped from 40% through 2021 to 31%, January-April 2022. Comparing the same time periods, Tulsa had a 43% rate in January-April 2021. 

Tulsa County eviction rates by year
– 2020: 43%
– 2021: 40%
– 2022, January-April: 31%

The hub and Landlord Tenant Resource Center are just one of many local groups responsible for the declining rate of evictions, including Restore Hope Ministries, Iron Gate and the Tulsa County District Courts.  

“The Landlord-Tenant Resource Center is a great partner to the district courts,” said Tulsa County District Court Presiding Judge Doug Drummond. “Its Social Services Hub directly improves outcomes in cases where eviction is a last and unenviable resort. We’ve been glad to have the hub as a resource and look forward to its continued growth.”

Another highlight of its first year is the hub’s success at equitable outcomes, serving a diversity of clientele. 

“Equity of services continues to be a focus of the program,” Campbell said. “In the first half of 2022, 51%, or half of the Hub’s clients, identified themselves as Black, African or African American, and 66%, or two-thirds, identified themselves as women, making the hub one of the most equitable resources for homelessness in Tulsa.”