History

Bit of History

The Oklahoma City Housing Authority was established in 1965 following the passage of the National Housing Act of 1949 and the adoption of Oklahoma enabling legislation in 1959.  A five-member Board of Commissioners was appointed by the Mayor with concurrence of the City Council on July 13, 1965.

In August of 1965, the Board of Commissioners of the Housing Authority resolved to cooperate fully with the Oklahoma City Urban Renewal Authority to house persons displaced by Urban Renewal.

The first Acting Executive Director of the Housing Authority was appointed on October 13, 1965, and the first permanent Executive Director was appointed on February 9, 1966.

On November 8, 1965, a program reservation for 1,200 units of low-income housing was approved by the City Council for development by the Oklahoma City Housing Authority

The first dwellings to be operated by the Oklahoma City Housing Authority came as a result of the transfer of Will Rogers Courts from the United States Government to the Housing Authority on April 1, 1966.

The first new developments to be completed by the Housing Authority were Shartel Towers, consisting of 201 apartments and Fred Factory Gardens, consisting of 74 apartments.  Both developments were completed in 1969.