Over the next week, we will highlight guest blog posts from Summer 2024 TURC students’ research project. Each student was challenged to write a brief post that showcased an element of their research from this summer, in addition to an original visual representation of data they have been analyzing. Students will present their full research project on August 9th from 1-2pm (Helmerich Hall, Room 219). The presentation is open to the public and you can find more information and RSVP here: https://pp.events/a8l1nMpb
Today’s guest blog is from Selina Jiang, a rising junior in the Collins College of Business who has been focusing this summer on housing affordability issues in Tulsa. Selina can be reached at saj4455@utulsa.edu or you can connect with her on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/selinajiang-ccb/
Affordable Housing
Affordable housing in Tulsa, Oklahoma addresses housing options for moderate to low-income households, ranging between 50% to 120% in area median income (AMI). Boomtown Development Co. and Green Habitat for Humanity are organizations that target strategic build to preserve existing affordable rental and ownership options with the help of developmental incentives from PartnerTulsa and The City of Tulsa.
Tulsa Housing Disparities
Tulsa is divided into districts that disclose diverse housing density and affordability concerns, which vary greatly between North and South Tulsa. The City of Tulsa GIS data shows that as of 2019, most residential buildings in the North were constructed between 1920 to 1959, while the South maintained construction from 1960 to 2019. North Tulsa faced challenges with underdevelopment, aging infrastructure, and limited economic opportunities after the historical crisis of The Tulsa Race Massacre of 1921, which resulted in 1,250 burned homes and $1.8 million in property loss claims – approximately $17 million in today’s dollars (2001 state commission report). In contrast, South Tulsa has seen substantial development over the years with modern amenities and infrastructure that cater to a more affluent demographic. The Census Bureau statistics from 2022 provide data on housing units (H1) in North Tulsa CCD with 6,892 housing units and a margin of error of ±294, the South Tulsa CCD includes 9,676 units with ±444 margin of error, with approximately 10,725 population differences.
Rent Burden, Statistics
The issue of rent burden further intensifies the housing challenges in Tulsa. Rent burden is defined as spending more than 30% of monthly income on rent. The City of Tulsa Indicator portrayed statistics for rent burden by income. In 2023, 88.1% of lower-income renter households (<100% AMI) and 23.9% of higher-income households (>100% AMI) are rent-burdened. Additionally, the comparison between the two groups is 3.685 and the indicator increased by 17 since 2018. Approximately 47% of renters are rent burned in Tulsa with the North being comparably higher than the South based on average income, employment status, and poverty rate.
Addressing Imbalance
The housing unit imbalance and rent burden disparities raise deeper concerns for socio-economic development. The figures attached visualize the total housing units H1 2022 ACS versus the population P1 2020 DEC in Tulsa County by Zip Codes. Through the analysis, there is a noticeable difference between the Northern and Southern parts of Tulsa and their housing conditions. In conclusion, the two districts require different strategic plans to maintain affordability through examining historical context and current data to improve the overall quality of life in Tulsa. The community must work together to provide a secure environment for the residents to feel safe, protected, and valued.