1st Phase Of Affordable Housing Development Opens In Tulsa

Tuesday was the grand opening of a first in a six-phase process to bring mixed income development to Tulsa.

River West represents the City of Tulsa's largest affordable housing project, which totals more than $170 million.

Phase one consisted of 74 housing units and Erik Solivan, the Chief Development Officer for the Tulsa Housing Authority, said there's still a lot more work to do.

The first eleven residents have already moved into the River West Community. 

The $18 million phase one plan is comprised of town homes and garden style walk-up units.

All units come with washers and dryers, and they even include security systems and access to a tornado shelter.

It's hardly recognizable for Jaimee Collett who just moved.

"The energy and atmosphere are completely different,” Collett said.

Collett lived here about five years ago when it was called River View Park Apartments.

"They were really old apartments; they were income based then and there was also just a lot of rough things that were going on,” Collett said.

Collett said now, the community is very different.

“My kids kept saying, 'Is this a dream?' For me it's the nicest place I have ever lived," Collett said.

The Tulsa Housing Authority said there are still five more phases to go, which are expected to be completed by September 2024.

"Provide stable, decent, safe, affordable housing for over 400 families that are going to be provided an opportunity to connect to jobs, as well as educational opportunities to partnerships throughout the city," Solivan said.

The Tulsa Housing Authority said phase two is already under construction. And phase three is expected to begin by June.