The Oklahoma lawmakers behind a controversial bill to restrict the locations of homeless shelters are now pushing for more state oversight. 

Sen. Lisa Standridge, R-Norman, and Rep. Kevin West, R-Moore, will host an interim study at the Oklahoma Capitol this fall to outline potential state and local standards to regulate shelters, according to a proposal for the hearing. House Speaker Kyle Hilbert approved the interim study at the end of July. 

West said he decided to dive deeper into the issue after constituents voiced concerns about safety and cleanliness at homeless shelters. He and Standridge introduced Senate Bill 484 earlier this year, which would have banned new homeless shelters within 3,000 feet of any school or school property outside of Oklahoma City and Tulsa, with few exceptions. The measure drew sharp criticism from service providers and advocates who said it would create barriers to services and could push more people into Tulsa and Oklahoma City, where providers are already trying to stretch limited resources to meet the growing need. The measure failed in committee in April. 

“The overall purpose of the study is just to do some exploring and have some of those conversations as to where state-level oversight should come from, and if additional layers would be needed or not,” West said. “It’s really pretty open-ended.”

While no state agency has direct oversight of homeless shelters, they are still subject to federal and local rules and must adhere to various health and safety requirements, said Sabine Brown, senior housing policy analyst at the left-leaning think tank Oklahoma Policy Institute.

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Many homeless shelters receive funding from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, which requires establishments to meet standards for safety, sanitation and privacy. Shelters are inspected for compliance before they can receive some federal grant money.

The Oklahoma State Department of Health conducts two unannounced inspections annually at shelters with licensed kitchens, according to an agency spokesperson. And state and city fire marshals require most buildings to meet building codes, which include things like clear fire exits and a commercially monitored smoke alarm, said Assistant State Fire Marshal James Fullingim. Building a shelter also requires various permits and zoning approval, a process that often includes a public hearing.

“There are lots of things that we should be doing to reduce homelessness,” Brown said. “But more oversight of homeless shelters is not one of them.”

West told The Frontier he wants to build upon existing regulations, potentially with a two-tiered system where shelters are monitored on the state level by the Health Department and on the local level by county commissioners. West said this would also provide direct paths for Oklahomans to report concerns regarding homeless shelters — something he believes the state currently lacks. 

Lawmakers haven’t invited any speakers for the study yet, West said, though he hopes to include input from the Health Department, shelter employees and county commissioners. West expects the study to take place sometime in October. Depending on how it goes, he said it’s possible Senate Bill 484 will be reintroduced with some changes. 

West said he believes there needs to be more state and local oversight to address ongoing issues at homeless shelters. 

“This is a very real need, and even though some people would like for it to just go away, it is the state’s responsibility to put in some framework for it to be done safely, for these people to get the care, the help, the leg up, whatever their particular need is in the safest, most effective manner,” West said. 

Standridge did not respond to multiple requests for comment.

Meghan Mueller, CEO of the Oklahoma City Homeless Alliance shelter, said it would be challenging to create standardized oversight through a central state agency, since no two shelters are funded the exact same way and services are varied. Mueller added that the Homeless Alliance would oppose any regulations or oversight that would make it harder for people in need to access their services. 

“If the state is looking to create universal shelter standards, my hope would be that it would be rooted in evidence-based best practices and would accompany funding to ensure that shelters are able to comply with regulatory standards without overburdening staff or operational budgets,” Mueller said.

Many shelters already complete annual audits for the federal housing department and other funders, said Tulsa Day Center CEO Mack Haltom. Haltom said he doesn’t see a need for state oversight unless the state is investing money in homeless shelters, as well.  

“The way that our state operates, like with education and mental health, I’m not sure it would be more hurtful than helpful to tell you the truth,” Haltom said.

Skyler Parker, vice president of client services at City Rescue Mission, another shelter in Oklahoma City, hopes the study will be a chance for legislators to visit homeless shelters and learn more about the needs of their community. If legislators want more oversight, Parker said, he’d rather they look at best practices instead of creating more bureaucracy that could impede shelter operations. 

“We’re not upset or mad if people want to ask questions; we want to be held accountable, just like anyone else,” Parker said. “In the long term, though, I think there’s an opportunity for our legislators to help find solutions, instead of just pointing out the problems.”