The second phase of a $170 million affordable housing project is now open in Tulsa. Housing Authority officials say it’s different from traditional public housing you’ll find anywhere in the city.
River West Apartments is a mixed-income community replacing what was once public housing in West Tulsa. Jeff Hall of the Tulsa Housing Authority said it was a place for everyone.
“Someone who might be a businessman working downtown, a lawyer, a doctor, someone working at OSU living right next door to someone who’s lived here before in public housing, and you wouldn’t know any different because it’s all built to the same quality,” says Hall.
The units will be divided equally between market tenants and those using government subsidies. Hall said it was part of a goal of decentralizing poverty and creating a place where everyone wanted to live.
“It just creates a place where people want to be, it’s a place of choice, not a place of last resort, which you normally see in high concentrations of housing,” Hall said.
This new phase includes a community center with a training room, computers and space for gatherings. There will also be a swimming pool, which Monica Guinn says will be great for her grandson.
“With them building a pool, he’s definitely going to like it too,” Guinn said.
She lived in the apartments that were there before and said her new apartment was much better.
“Going into these with the fact that they’re absolutely new and 100% different was definitely a big plus,” Guinn said.
She is hopeful for her future there.
“I really want to see this place grow, and to see Tulsa too if they can build more places like this and give a lot more people a chance to live in nice homes, that’s definitely a great future.” , she said.
The third phase is already under construction. A public park will open in August.
