Recent Articles

It’s time for action to address Oklahoma’s eviction crisis

Evictions are skyrocketing in some areas of Oklahoma, part of a nationwide crisis in affordable housing. In several counties across the state, including Canadian and Oklahoma counties, evictions in the first half of 2022 were at an all-time high. With… Read more [More...]

Evictions as big business: Handful of companies responsible for vast majority of Oklahoma eviction filings

Oklahoma’s long-standing eviction crisis has been slowed by the infusion of millions of dollars in rental assistance during the last year and a half. While it’s heartening to see major investments in keeping people housed, the eviction process itself is broken, and we need to make it work better for both tenants and landlords. [More...]

Turning the tide on evictions: Using federal aid, support to reduce Oklahoma’s eviction crisis

Evictions are lower than they were before the pandemic, but Oklahomans still experience housing insecurity at alarming rates [More...]

Five years later: Voters still waiting for SQ 781’s investments in mental health, substance use disorders

Though the Legislature has again failed to fund the treatments that SQ 781 statutorily required, we know that justice reform has measurably reduced the prison population and that mental health remains severely underfunded. [More...]

CDC eviction moratorium will help, but Oklahoma’s housing crisis still looms large

Data show that eviction filings and orders have accelerated in Oklahoma even after the CDC moratorium took effect on Sept. 4, and Oklahomans remain at risk for eviction through the end of the year. [More...]

Addressing misinformation about SQ 805

As Oklahomans prepare to vote on State Question 805 during the Nov. 3 general election, opponents have started attacking the justice reform measure in predictable ways, attempting to stir up fear through false and misleading claims. Opponents of SQ 805… Read more [More...]

Reopening Oklahoma’s courts must be done thoughtfully to avoid a public health disaster

Oklahoma courts should plan to transition back to normal operations gradually and cautiously in order to avoid exacerbating the spread of the coronavirus or facilitating mass evictions. [More...]

Policymakers must do more to prevent evictions and foreclosures during and after the COVID-19 crisis. We’re tracking these cases with our new Oklahoma Court Tracker tool

The Oklahoma Court Tracker, a tool by OK Policy’s Open Justice Oklahoma program, displays information on who is filing eviction and foreclosure cases and where those cases have been filed. As of April 1, plaintiffs have filed 1,116 evictions and 131 foreclosures since Oklahoma’s emergency declaration on March 15.  [More...]

Evictions currently are suspended in Oklahoma except in cases of “emergency”

Eviction hearings are postponed across the state and that means Oklahomans cannot be forced from their homes by an eviction or foreclosure until April 15 at the earliest. [More...]

Oklahoma courts have not suspended fines and fees

Oklahoma’s county courts, which handle all civil and most criminal cases across the state, have suspended most of their activities until April 15 at the earliest. There has been no official guidance about the collection of criminal fines and fees while court activity is suspended [More...]