Evictions could spike across Oklahoma

CLEVELAND COUNTY, Okla. (KFOR) – Housing experts predict Oklahoma could see a surge in evictions over the next two months.

Oklahoma already has one of the highest eviction rates in the country and the pandemic relief funds to prevent evictions has expired, which could lead to a heightened spike.

In October, more than 4,000 people across the state were evicted from their homes. Lindsay Lewis has been living in her Norman apartment for four years. A few weeks ago, she was notified of a problem.

"The first thing I got was a five day notice out of the blue," said Lewis.

The grandmother has been living off a fixed income. She said miscommunications under former management at the complex led to fees she did not know she had missed.

"We worked out a payment plan and we had all that settled but unfortunately he (the manager) slipped a message on my door,” said Lewis. “Corporate decided not to accept the payment plan and is going through with the eviction."

Lewis will soon join a growing list of Oklahomans looking for a new place to live. According to data from Shelterwell, Oklahoma County has the highest eviction rate in the state followed by Tulsa, Cleveland, and Canadian Counties.

Meghan Mueller, CEO of the Homeless Alliance, said with the pandemic relief funds now expired, the state could see eviction rates accelerate.

"A lot of people who maybe right on the edge the last couple of years as those resources expire and run out. They're, again, kind of falling over that cliff," said Mueller.

Mueller said policy change was a good place to start.

"Our Landlord Tenant Act hasn't been updated for decades and is quite favorable to landlords," said Mueller.

She said the Homeless Alliance hears from many Oklahomans who were handed an eviction asking about their options. She said it also leads to obstacles for those already on the street.

"Many of them have evictions in their histories. And those evictions can actually be barriers to getting out of homelessness," said Mueller.