
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.
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Related factsheet: ARPA and Child Well-Being in Oklahoma (May 2021)
From school and child care closings to economic disruptions, the COVID-19 pandemic exposed many gaps within our state’s systems that support children and families. As we look toward recovery, it…
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Evictions are lower than they were before the pandemic, but Oklahomans still experience housing insecurity at alarming rates
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Oklahoma children need housing, food, health care, educational opportunities, and stable, nurturing environments to succeed. These essentials, however, are out of reach for many Oklahomans as the result of poverty, structural racism, and other barriers.
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By:
Paul Shinn
June 11, 2021 // Updated: June 11, 2021

Families are the backbone of our society and economy, but too many Oklahoma families cannot keep up. Many Oklahoma jobs pay less than a quarter of what it takes to support a family.
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By:
Paul Shinn
April 7, 2021 // Updated: April 6, 2021

Lawmakers should set aside both of these bills and have a broader discussion about whether it's more important to broadly cut taxes than to provide public services, invest in our state’s future, save for the next economic downturn, or provide better-targeted tax reduction.
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While paid family and medical leave policies are standard in nearly every country, the U.S. is one of only eight countries in the world (and the only “developed” country) to not guarantee access to paid family and medical leave. However, nine states and the District of Columbia have passed legislation that provides paid family and medical leave to most employees.
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Despite its benefits, access to paid family leave is not widespread, especially for lower-wage families. To improve Oklahomans’ health and increase the labor force, the Oklahoma Legislature should guarantee paid family leave benefits to our state’s workers.
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If we want Oklahoma’s children to recover quickly from the COVID-19 crisis and grow up to be healthy, thriving adults, then now is the time to increase our investment in the programs that provide the stability that our children need.
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By:
Paul Shinn
March 2, 2021 // Updated: March 2, 2021

Every one of us will suffer if we don’t help those whose income, health, and food security have been most damaged by the pandemic. We have the means to provide that help, but we must find the will.
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