The Tulsa Health Department’s Community Health Improvement Plan (CHIP) includes a dedicated focus on Healthy and Affordable Housing, recognizing it as a top priority for the well-being of Tulsa County residents.
Housing is a key social determinant of health, and Tulsa County continues to face serious challenges in housing quality, affordability, and stability. As of 2023, more than 1,200 individuals in Tulsa County experience homelessness on any given night, highlighting racial and economic disparities in housing access (HUD, 2023).
About 22% of Tulsa County residents live in homes with conditions that negatively affect health, including mold, lead, poor ventilation, and overcrowding factors linked to asthma, injury, and stress-related illnesses (U.S. Census Bureau, 2020; WHO, 2018). Additionally, the county faces a deficit of over 10,000 affordable rental units for extremely low-income households (NLIHC, 2023).
Secondhand smoke exposure in multi-unit housing remains a serious health threat, particularly for children and seniors. Evidence shows smoke-free housing policies can reduce preventable illness and health disparities (U.S. Surgeon General, 2020).
In response, CHIP partners are advancing smoke-free housing efforts (TSET, ALA), expanding access to affordable and supportive housing, delivering fair housing education, and aligning public health, housing, and social services to address structural barriers and promote housing equity (Tulsa Health Department, 2023).
Tulsa Housing Authority; A Way Home for Tulsa; Housing Solutions; Counseling and Recovery Services of Oklahoma; Mental Health Association Oklahoma; Tulsa Health Department; Legal Aid Services of Oklahoma; Be Well; Tobacco Settlement Endowment Trust; Tulsa Day Center; TulsaCARES; City of Tulsa
The CHIP Healthy and Affordable Housing Workgroup represents a cross-sector collaboration of community partners to address the goals within the Tulsa County CHIP. This health priority was a goal within the previous CHIPs, but now it stands as one of the three selected health priorities in our community. The Tulsa community is more committed than ever to increasing access to affordable and safe housing.
Meetings are held in-person or online as noted below. Location will be shared prior to the meeting. If you like to attend, please contact our CHIP Project Manager at Christina Seymour by email at cseymour@tulsa-health.org.
2026 Meetings Dates:
Register to Attend a Healthy and Affordable Housing Workgroup Meeting
The CHIP is intended to be monitored over time. To track the progress of this initiative, key performance markers are monitored through a community dashboard on the AchieveIt platform. These markers reflect measurable outcomes, and serve as a tool for stakeholders to assess how well collaborative efforts are addressing mental health challenges, reducing barriers to care and improving overall community resilience. The dashboard supports data-driven decision-making and ensures transparency and accountability as Tulsa County works to enhance mental wellness across the population.
We have 9 locations across Tulsa County that offer a variety of services to help you and your family stay healthy.
