Oklahoma finalizes contract to house 40 people in Oklahoma City after Stitt’s Operation SAFE sweeps
State housing payments follow encampment clearings on state property
Oklahoma has finalized a contract to pay for housing and case management for up to 40 people displaced from homeless encampments cleared from state-owned property in Oklahoma City under Gov. Kevin Stitt’s “Operation SAFE.” The agreement covers a one-year period from October 2025 through the end of September 2026 and sets a monthly rate of $1,667 per person, or roughly $20,000 annually.
The contract ties the housing assistance to Oklahoma City’s Key to Home Partnership, a public-private initiative established in 2023 to coordinate outreach, shelter connections and expedited rehousing for people living outdoors. Under the arrangement, participating service providers can seek reimbursement for housing and case-management services after a client has remained in the program for 30 consecutive days. If a participant leaves mid-month without transitioning into other stable housing, the state does not cover that month’s housing cost.
Operation SAFE moved from Tulsa to Oklahoma City in fall 2025
Operation SAFE launched in Tulsa in September 2025 and expanded to Oklahoma City in October 2025. In both cities, state agencies focused on clearing encampments from state-controlled locations such as highway rights-of-way, underpasses and other state property. In Oklahoma City, the activity included removals from areas under bridges and overpasses along Interstates 40 and 240.
State announcements described the operation as a safety and cleanliness initiative carried out by the Oklahoma Highway Patrol and the Oklahoma Department of Transportation, with referrals to local partners for services and housing. State officials have also signaled the operation could be deployed elsewhere if requested by community stakeholders.
How Key to Home’s rehousing model works
Key to Home’s Encampment Rehousing Initiative combines street outreach, landlord engagement and case management with a goal of moving encampment residents into housing in about four to six weeks, then providing up to 12 months of case-management support. Program materials and city reporting describe the initiative as operating without sobriety or employment requirements for participation.
City and initiative updates have reported hundreds of housing placements since Key to Home’s creation and multiple encampment closures, alongside broader claims of multi-year reductions in unsheltered homelessness. The state-funded contract in question is limited in scope—up to 40 people—and is designed to cover those moved off state property during enforcement actions.
Policy context: state law and enforcement approaches
Oklahoma enacted a statute prohibiting “unauthorized camps” on state-owned lands effective in November 2024. The law outlines that people cannot establish an unauthorized camp on state property and contemplates offering assistance such as transportation to shelters and other service locations.
In Tulsa, enforcement messaging included warnings that refusal to leave state property could result in arrest. In Oklahoma City, local partners have described a process that emphasizes rapid rehousing when possible, as well as transportation options to shelters and services for those who do not enter housing immediately.
- Contract term: October 2025 through September 2026
- Rate: $1,667 per person per month for housing and case management
- Capacity: up to 40 people
- Billing condition: reimbursement after 30 consecutive days in program
The agreement formalizes a state role in funding housing placements linked to encampment clearings on state property, while relying on Oklahoma City’s existing rehousing infrastructure to deliver services and track outcomes.