The City of Tulsa’s housing policy director is leaving that job to make an interim role permanent.
Becky Gligo has been picked as the executive director of Housing Solutions, the organization leading work to end homelessness by members of the A Way Home for Tulsa Coalition. She’s led Housing Solutions on an interim basis the past 10 months while also working at the city.
Gligo said as the Centers for Disease Control eviction moratorium expires and people continue to feel economic impacts of the coronavirus pandemic, work to lessen Tulsa’s high eviction rate and prevent homelessness will become even more important.
"We’re going to see folks that have never experienced housing or income instability really need a lot of support, and, of course, the people who have needed support for a long time, we can’t turn our back on them, either. So, it’s going to be, I think, a massive undertaking," Gligo said.
Gligo said there were no roadblocks at the city that made her want to leave and that Tulsa now has a four-year affordable housing strategy to move forward with.
"The blueprint’s there. I think that strategy’s really strong and it just needs someone to carry it forward Where the most urgent need is right now, it is our eviction crisis and it is homelessness. And so, I just felt called to really focus on those areas where I think our most vulnerable neighbors need strong leadership and need a really dedicated coalition of folks to support them," Gligo said.
A key part of the city’s housing strategy has already been established. An affordable housing trust fund set up through Gligo’s work with an advisory board was set up in April to help preserve Tulsa’s existing stock and build more.
The city will hire a new housing policy director. The position has so far been funded by the Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation.
Note: The Anne and Henry Zarrow Foundation is a financial supporter of KWGS.
