A federal funding shortfall is jeopardizing housing for more than 10,000 Tulsa residents who depend on rental assistance, as the Tulsa Housing Authority (THA) has been forced to halt approvals for landlord rent increases.
The policy change is already leading to displacement. Sylvia Aguilar, a resident of the Gable Hills Apartment Complex for nearly three years, recently received a notice to vacate her North Tulsa home by early August. The notice came after her landlord’s request to raise the rent to $1,085 was denied by the THA due to the funding gap.
“I don’t know what to do, I don’t know where we’re gonna go,” said Aguilar, who lives with her son, River. “I don’t know where my son is gonna go to school. My job is out here. Our whole life is here.”
Aguilar noted that similar notices have appeared on other doors in the complex, creating widespread panic among tenants. One resident, who wished to remain anonymous, suggested the motive was financial. “They want to renovate these apartments and get more money for them,” the tenant said.
In a statement, the Tulsa Housing Authority confirmed it notified Section 8 landlords in May that it could no longer approve rent increases. The agency explained the decision was necessary to manage its current budget without revoking existing subsidies. THA clarified that it is the landlord’s discretion to either maintain current rent levels or, as in the case of Gable Hills, displace tenants in order to seek higher rents. The apartment complex and its regional manager did not respond to requests for comment.
Since May, the THA has received over 200 rent increase requests. The agency stated that it is contacting landlords to explain the funding shortfall and noted that most have been understanding.
The situation may soon worsen. The proposed 2026 federal budget includes a more than 40% cut to U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) rental assistance programs. If passed, the THA warns the cuts would be “devastating for thousands of Tulsans that rely on that assistance to remain housed.”
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