Oklahoma City coalition exits 303 people from homelessness in one year

Oklahoma City’s homelessness response system is preparing to serve at least 400 more residents this fiscal year. This expansion follows a successful first year of a new pilot program that helped 303 people leave homelessness. The initiative focuses on covering immediate, small financial gaps rather than providing long-term case management.

The program, known as Early Intervention and Rapid Exit, is run by the Key to Home Partnership. This network includes nearly 50 local agencies. It launched a pilot that provides brief, flexible support to individuals facing specific barriers to housing. The average cost per client was approximately $1,500. Program leaders expect to surpass their current goal of reaching 400 additional people before the fiscal year ends.

Jamie Caves, the partnership’s strategy implementation manager, explained that the model borrows diversion tactics used in other cities. The approach targets people who do not need extensive ongoing support but cannot secure housing due to immediate obstacles. The goal is to clear these barriers within about 30 days. In practice, clients receive assistance for an average of 40 days.

Caseworkers address specific financial needs that keep people from moving into units or reconnecting with family. Jennifer Kill, who oversees Key to Home programs at Catholic Charities, cited examples of people with steady incomes who lacked move-in funds or relatives who could host them but could not afford travel. Supports include one-time payments for security deposits, transportation, groceries, and communication devices. Family reunification remains a frequent solution, often involving relatives outside the city.

Catholic Charities has served 344 clients through the program. Of those, 51 percent achieved positive housing exits. The partnership tracks stability after participants leave the program. Over the last year, only about 5 percent of those who moved into stable housing returned to the homelessness response system. This low return rate suggests that the short-term aid helps maintain long-term stability.

The program is funded by a mix of municipal support for staff and private donations for flexible aid. The current flexible assistance cap is $1,200 per person. To increase access, the partnership is adding three enrollment specialists at shelters and other access points. This move will double the number of staff available to sign people up quickly.

Eight organizations are currently implementing the initiative. These include City Care, City Rescue Mission, Heartline, Homeless Alliance, Pivot, the Salvation Army, and Sisu Youth Services. Caves credited the cross-agency collaboration for producing tailored solutions for individual cases. The partnership aims to make early intervention available at every point where someone seeks help. A five-year vision includes capacity for immediate response at all city access points.