Oklahoma’s housing crisis is worsening. During the 2025 legislative session, state lawmakers had multiple opportunities to reduce evictions, update the Landlord-Tenant Act, and increase Oklahoma’s supply of housing stock. They punted on nearly all of them: Gov. Kevin Stitt vetoed the only bill to combat the housing crisis the legislature managed to pass, a measure that would have extended the eviction timeline and given families a better shot at staying housed. While state lawmakers took no meaningful action to address housing instability, they deserve credit for rejecting efforts to further criminalize homelessness and reduce services. These proposals would have made it even more difficult to keep Oklahomans housed.
The federal government has typically taken the lead on funding and programming for housing assistance. However, the Trump administration is making deep cuts to housing programs and leaving states to fill the gap in funding — if they can. Oklahoma cannot afford to make up those cuts — which makes legislative action all the more urgent. Unless future legislatures change course and commit to fixing Oklahoma’s housing crisis, housing insecurity and homelessness will only worsen.
Gov. Stitt rejected a bipartisan solution to keep Oklahomans in their homes
A speedy eviction timeline permitted by Oklahoma law means that renters in Oklahoma can go from being a day late on rent to being removed from their home in under two weeks. Senate Bill 128 by Sen. Julia Kirt, D-Oklahoma City, would have added five days to the eviction timeline and given tenants more time between receiving their court summons and their eviction trial date. This modest increase would have meant more time to make-up back rent, arrange for time off or child care to attend their trial, or simply find other housing.
SB 128 had bipartisan support and no organized opposition, but Gov. Stitt vetoed the bill regardless, citing concern for the impacts on landlords. The legislature did not override the veto. The Governor’s veto is more than a missed opportunity — it is a step backwards for housing instability.
The legislature failed to advance bills that would have reduced evictions and protected tenants from bad actor landlords
Legislators could have provided needed legal protection to the 1 in 3 Oklahomans who rent. When landlords refuse to address health and safety issues in their rentals, tenants have very little recourse. House Bill 2015, by Rep. Daniel Pae, R-Lawton, would have helped correct that by allowing tenants to recoup damages, attorney fees, and court costs when landlords fail to make needed repairs. This bill failed to get a committee vote in time before the legislative deadline and is dormant until next session.
Cheap evictions contribute to Oklahoma’s high number of evictions. HB 1129 by Rep. Ellen Pogemiller, D-Oklahoma City, would have increased the eviction filing fee to $45 to $85, the first increase since 2004. Increasing the filing fee is a proven way to decrease eviction rates. This bill failed on the House floor 50-39.
Eviction filings — even when dismissed or decided in the tenant’s favor — follow someone for life, making it harder for them to find housing in the future. Landlords are often unwilling to rent to someone with an eviction record, especially when limited housing stock drives up demand. SB 815 by Sen. Kirt and HB 1130 by Rep. Pogemiller would have sealed eviction records after a certain amount of time, or in cases where evictions are dismissed or found in favor of the tenant. Neither bill advanced.
Legislators also failed to find solutions to Oklahoma’s housing shortage. The state needs nearly 85,000 rental units to meet the needs of extremely low-income renters. SB 275 and HB 2189 by Sen. Kirt and Rep. Melodye Blancett, D-Tulsa, would have formed a Workforce Housing Commission made up of developers, non-profits, and local government leaders to identify housing challenges and recommend solutions, following a model that’s been successful in other states. Both bills stalled this session.
Lastly, a bill to reform how cities approve or deny permits for housing projects, SB 647 by Sen. Avery Frix, R-Muskogee, also failed to advance. Public hearings about new housing developments can be undemocratic and a vocal minority can tank an affordable housing project. SB 647 would have required that decisions about building permits be based only on facts and issues of public health, safety, or welfare. Different versions of the bill advanced through both the House and the Senate but lawmakers were unable to agree on its final language before the end of session.
Legislators rejected efforts to further criminalize homelessness and make it harder to build homeless shelters
One small bright spot this session is legislators’ choice to not advance measures that would have made life even harder for people experiencing homelessness. HB 1764 by Rep. Dell Kerbs, R-Shawnee would have expanded last year’s camping ban on state-owned land to municipal and county land. It failed to get a vote before the legislative deadline. SB 484 by Rep. Lisa Standridge, R-Norman, which would have effectively prohibited homeless shelters in cities with populations less than 300,000, was handily rejected by House committee members. We can expect more attacks on people experiencing homelessness in the future, but for now we have at least maintained the status quo.
Everyday Oklahomans need state legislators to act now more than ever to keep people safely housed
As housing costs rise faster than wages, more families are falling behind and struggling to provide housing for their families. Oklahoma legislators could act to protect them. Additionally, federal support programs that cities and states have long depended on are under threat, further destabilizing access to housing in Oklahoma. Unless legislators act, Oklahoma families with the fewest resources will continue to bear the burden.