Governor Stitt Kicks Off Operation SAFE in Oklahoma City

Governor Kevin Stitt announced the Oklahoma Highway Patrol (OHP) and Oklahoma Department of Transportation (ODOT) had begun clean ups of state property across Oklahoma City as part of Operation SAFE. Operation SAFE, which began in Tulsa, is the state’s initiative to restore safety and cleanliness by removing homeless encampments, trash, and debris from state-owned property. The OHP has the legal authority to target state-owned property including underpasses, highways, state buildings, and other state-controlled land. “After the success of Operation SAFE in Tulsa, business leaders and stakeholders quickly requested the state to do the same here in Oklahoma City,” said Gov. Stitt. “We are partnering with Key to Home, an Oklahoma City-based public/private partnership, to connect those individuals we move from state property to services and housing. The state is doing its job, and just like in Tulsa, it’s the role of the city and non-profits to ensure Oklahoma City stays clean and safe for all residents." Key to Home Partnership was established in 2023 to lead a unified city response. Today, more than 50 public, private, and nonprofit partners work together to bring outreach teams directly into encampments, connecting Oklahomans in need to shelter, treatment, and housing within an expedited six-week timeline. Once an encampment is closed, ongoing monitoring prevents repopulation. To date, Key to Home has helped 446 people transition into housing and successfully closed 25 encampments across the city. “We’ve worked hard to coordinate efforts more effectively and create a streamlined pathway to restoration for our neighbors who are sleeping outside,” said Jamie Caves, Homeless Strategy Implementation Manager for the Key to Home Partnership. “When the State approached us about addressing encampments on State property, the program was already in place to offer a quick, effective, and dignified solution.”