Report shows homelessness in OKC up 28 percent 

OKLAHOMA CITY (KFOR) - A new report shows the number of people experiencing homelessness in Oklahoma City has increased 28 percent in 2024 compared to the year before. 

"We know that we just need to put our heads down and continue this effort,” said Jamie Caves, the City of Oklahoma City Homeless Strategy Implementation Manager. 

The annual Point in Time count revealed 1,838 people were without a place to call home this year, an increase of 402 people from the 2023 count. 

“Not all that surprising, even though it was a pretty big jump,” said Meghan Mueller, CEO of the Homeless Alliance. “We are seeing larger numbers. I really think it's a product of not just what's happening locally in Oklahoma City, but really what's happening at the national level." 

The count also found:

• 7% of the population are veterans.
• 17% are members of families with children; none were sleeping outside.
• 36% are female, 62% are male and 2% are transgender or another gender identity.
• 45% are white, 35% are black and 9% are Native American.
• 9% are unaccompanied youth aged 24 or younger; no unaccompanied minors were sleeping outside.
• 20% of the population reports mental illness.
• 24% are considered “chronically” homeless.
• 62% were staying in a shelter, 13% in transitional housing, 1% in safe havens and 24% unsheltered.

Experts are attributing this increase to several factors including a lack of affordable housing, inflation and the end of COVID assistance. 

"Anytime there's a major influx of dollars that number goes down and when those dollars expire, that number goes right back up,” said Caves. 

However, parts of the report were encouraging. The total percentage of the city's unsheltered population experiencing chronic homelessness fell to 48 percent, a 14 percent decrease from 2023.

"Which is a really good thing, and that's where we've focused a lot of those efforts over the last year to 18 months,” said Mueller. 

Both Caves and Mueller told KFOR there is currently a plan in the works to implement a diversion strategy to help get the homeless population back on a downward trend. 

"The idea behind diversion is that we're providing intervention before people really hit the system,” said Mueller. 

Caves they’re just beginning to work on designing a program model. She said a pilot program should be launched by the end of this year. 

A link to the full Point in Time report is here.