OKLAHOMA CITY – Newly-elected mayor of Norman Steven Tyler Holman says controversial state legislation threatens to dismantle his city’s efforts to address homelessness.
Senate Bill 484, authored by Sen. Lisa Standridge (R-Norman), cleared a critical hurdle in the Oklahoma Senate last week, triggering even stronger opposition from local leaders.
The bill forbids construction or operation of any homeless shelter located within 3,000 feet of any school, library, park, and day care center. That is more than the current state legislation that prohibits people convicted of sex crimes form living within 500 feet of places where children gather.
The legislation is the latest in the NIMBY, Not In MY BackYard, fight working its way through the state legislature. The distance requirement would virtually eliminate any shelter in most towns and cities because there almost always is a school, park, library or day care center, according to Holman .
Holman, a vocal critic of the legislation, argues that it undermines local control and fails to provide meaningful solutions to homelessness.
“In the simplest terms, the bill proposed by Senator Standridge does not offer a single solution to homelessness,” he said. “Banning shelters isn’t going to improve the situation with homeless on the street and will absolutely make it worse.
“In the end, the voters of Norman elect a local government to make budget decisions and if we decide to spend part of our budget on a shelter then it’s really not the business of the State legislature,” he said.
Stanridge’s homeless legislation is an extension of a similar effort by former Sen. Rob Stanridge, the husband of Lisa Stanridge, to push the issue through the State Senate before he was term limited. Stanridge was elected in November to her husband’s seat when he termed out.
There were 213 people experiencing homelessness in Cleveland County when the last census was completed in 2023. Many of the homeless gather in the area of Food & Shelter Inc., 201 Reed St., Norman, because it offers meals, a food pantry an a place to do laundry.
During Thursday’s debate on the bill Stanridge said there is a safety issue in Norman because of the homeless population.
“I can tell you with assurance that there is a safety issue in Norman because of the vagrant population,” she said.
The bill’s passage through the Senate Local Government and Counties Committee, with a 6-3 vote, will now be scheduled for a full Senate vote. Senators Goodwin (D-Tulsa), Nice (D-Oklahoma City), and Stanley (R-Midwest City) voted against the measure. It could move to the Senate floor as soon as Tuesday.
Stanridge’s bill also requires that public notice be mailed to any property owner within 1,000 feet of a proposed shelter. Current laws require notice of be sent to property owners within 300 feet of piece of property being rezoned.
Supporters of SB 484 contend that it promotes fiscal responsibility and encourages alternative approaches to homelessness, such as mental health and addiction treatment. They also argue that smaller cities may lack the resources to effectively manage shelters, making a centralized, state-level approach more efficient.
However, Mayor Holman and newly elected Norman city council members, who have expressed support for a public shelter in Norman, believe the bill would severely impede their ability to address the city’s growing homeless population. They argue that restricting shelters will only exacerbate the issue, pushing vulnerable individuals further from necessary support.
Gaylord News is a reporting project of the University of Oklahoma Gaylord College of Journalism and Mass Communication. For more stories by Gaylord News go to GaylordNews.net.
