Norman Police Department and Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office plan to clear a homeless encampment site near Food and Shelter.
Ward 1 Councilmember David Gandesbery wrote in a Monday Facebook post he has been in contact with friends who stay in Food and Shelter. Gandesbery wrote that the clear-out was anticipated to happen Tuesday.
“I pray for peace with everyone involved and that each person goes with a caring heart,” Gandesbery wrote. “As they go through the day please join me in keeping everyone in your thoughts and prayers. For all the new citizens just realizing the concerns please reach out to any of our amazing non profits it see how you can volunteer to continue the effort even after it is no longer in the media. This is a human issue that will take everybody to assist.”
Ward 4 Councilmember Helen Grant wrote in a Tuesday Facebook post the encampment clearing is being postponed.
"Something was misfiled and until it is corrected the encampment clearing on State land is paused," Grant wrote. "...With the clearing time extended people from City staff to local organizations are working on solutions. Additionally, Staff is proceeding with preparation for the permanent shelter site, regardless of litigation since the plan was always to build with or without a bond, so that area is being fenced off this week with construction fencing."
Grant confirmed to OU Daily that the operation to clear out a homeless encampment will not occur on Tuesday.
“There’s a lot of confusion, but at the end of the day, the encampment is not being cleared out today,” Grant said.
Grant said they visited the encampment Tuesday morning and spotted a sheriff’s vehicle on site, who said the clear-out would not occur due to lack of legal documents. Though Grant doesn’t know an exact day, they said the clear-out could happen Wednesday or Thursday.
According to Grant, City Care and church organizations are working on getting some of the people affected into motels as a short-term solution. City Care did not immediately respond to OU Daily’s request for comment.
“We didn’t ask for the encampment to be cleared,” Grant said. “That was an initiative that came outside of the city. So our part in this is just trying to make sure that as it’s decommissioned, people have access to services.”
Mayor Stephen Tyler Holman said breaking up encampments isn't ideal.
"Just through my own experience of the city dealing with encampments over the years, I mean we know that breaking up encampments, it doesn't solve the problem, the issue of there being encampments," Holman said. "It doesnt address any of the root causes for why those individuals are finding themselves in that situation."
Holman said he believes NPD officers are collaborating with the county because they are familiar with Norman resources and people in the city experiencing homelessness.
"They're familiar with people in the encampments, I think more so than county deputies and state agencies probably are," Holman said. "(NPD) has relationships with nonprofit organizations and service providers in Norman."
OU Daily reached out to City Manager Darrel Pyle, NPD and the Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office, but did not receive a comment by the time of publication.
Grant said the city is putting poles on the location and then heavy duty construction fencing will begin.
“There is a Wednesday hearing about the constitutionality of our bond votes and, obviously, we’re hopeful that the ruling will be in our favor, but, even if not, we’ve always planned to make this the permanent shelter site,” Grant said. “If we don’t have the support of bond’s money, then we will just build a smaller shelter with less resources, and maybe slowly add on as time and financing allows.”
The encampment area, which surrounds the shelter at 201 Reed Ave., is on state property, an NPD spokesperson told OU Daily Monday.
Tiffany Vrska, chief communications officer for the city of Norman, wrote in a Monday email to the Daily that NPD’s proactive crime enforcement, or PACE, team has been involved in the operation as a partner agency and to share resources. Vrska wrote the property was under Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office jurisdiction.
Jeremy Walker, sheriff’s office director of communications, wrote in an email to the Daily Monday that the response is a multi-agency effort between the sheriff’s office, NPD and “community service partners.” He did not specify who these community partners were.
Walker wrote the sheriff’s office has been in a supporting role for NPD, the lead agency on the effort.
“Individuals have also been informed they cannot remain on the property after a clearly communicated deadline, with enforcement considered only if necessary after that point, …” Walker wrote. “This remains an evolving situation, and agencies continue working to balance public safety with outreach and services.”
The Daily reached out to Cleveland County Sheriff’s Office and NPD to confirm the timeline of the clear-out but did not receive a response.
Daily staff visited Food and Shelter Monday afternoon and Tuesday morning and did not observe any removal of encampments. NPD officers were present on site Monday afternoon.
The encampment site is also near the Central Oklahoma Community Mental Health Services, which is managed by the Oklahoma Department of Mental Health and Substance Abuse Services. A spokesperson for the department wrote in an email to the Daily that the department has never commissioned or operated the encampment site.
“Our priority is the safety of those receiving care at our facilities, while working closely with local community partners to connect individuals in need with available services, shelter options and behavioral health resources,” the spokesperson wrote.
The spokesperson wrote in a later text message to the Daily the department is working with community partners to connect affected individuals with housing.
"In addition to connecting people with resources looks like we've been able to connect some people with housing as well through our community partners," the spokesperson wrote.
Emily Wilkinson, director of shelter services at Food and Shelter, confirmed to OU Daily that the organization was aware of the situation but declined to give further comment.
On April 7, Norman residents approved an $8 million bond that will fund the construction of a homeless shelter on Reed Avenue, near Food and Shelter, through property tax revenue. A hearing to determine the constitutionality of the vote is set for Wednesday morning.
This story was edited by Audrey McClour and Anusha Fathepure.
