Standridge invites Stitt to push Operation SAFE in Norman

Southwest Ledger

By Secrett Taylor September 16, 2025

Earlier this month, Gov. Kevin Stitt launched Operation SAFE, a state program to clear homeless encampments on state-owned lands to increase public safety. The effort began last week in Tulsa and has prompted calls to expand to other cities.

The Oklahoma Policy Institute reported that 5,497 people experienced homelessness in Oklahoma last year, a 17.6% increase from 2023. An OPI study said that “for every 10,000 people living in the state, 13 Oklahomans reported experiencing homelessness in 2024. This is higher than rates reported in neighboring states: Texas (9), Arkansas (9), Missouri (12), and Kansas (9). Colorado (32) and New Mexico (22) had the highest rates of neighboring states.”

State Sen. Lisa Standridge, R-Norman, asked the governor to bring the initiative to Norman — Oklahoma’s third most populated city — saying its residents face similar concerns.

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