City Announces New Inclement Weather Shelter Ahead of Winter Season

City Announces New Inclement Weather Shelter Ahead of Winter Season

10/30/2025

Shelter fulfills key goal in Mayor Nichols' Executive Order to help reach functional zero homelessness

As temperatures begin to drop, the City of Tulsa is taking another major step toward reaching functional zero homelessness with the opening of a new inclement weather shelter at BeHeard Movement, located at 7216 E. Admiral Pl.

Operated by CREOKS in partnership with BeHeard Movement and other service providers, the new shelter will open November 17, 2025, and operate 24/7 through March 31, 2026. It will provide a safe, supportive, and pet-friendly environment for adults needing a warm place to stay during the coldest months of the year.

The facility will offer case management, behavioral health therapy, peer support, housing and employment navigation, pharmacy delivery and medical services.

"Opening this new inclement weather shelter is a key step forward in our work to reach functional zero homelessness in Tulsa. Earlier this year, I signed an executive order outlining our intent to establish a dedicated inclement weather shelter, and I'm proud to see that commitment becoming reality. This facility will ensure that no Tulsan has to sleep outside when temperatures are too extreme, and it reflects our city's shared determination to protect every member of our community."

Within the facility, CREOKS and BeHeard will utilize the back portion of the building for congregant sleeping rooms, meals, and meeting spaces. The shelter will begin with 50-60 beds and expand to serve 125 people, with capacity increasing to 250 during extreme weather emergencies.

Shelter operations are funded through a portion the City's American Rescue Plan Act (ARPA) allocation, part of Tulsa's broader effort to address homelessness and improve public health outcomes.

"Caring for our community means making sure no one is left out in the cold. This warming shelter will provide immediate safety and neighborly support for our most vulnerable residents," said Brent Black, CEO of CREOKS Health Services. "CREOKS, in partnership with the BeHeard Movement, aim to simply ensure that everyone has a warm, secure place to survive this winter."

Food will be provided through partnerships with A Way Home for Tulsa, including Iron Gate, the Community Food Bank of Eastern Oklahoma, and other local organizations.

Donations are welcome. Preferred items include adult coats, scarves, hats, shoes, pet food, gloves, and non-perishable food and hygiene items. Once open, donations can be made directly to the shelter, or items can be dropped off at CREOKS' midtown location at 4103 S. Yale Ave.

Progress Toward the Mayor's Executive Order on Homelessness
The opening of the inclement weather shelter is one of several milestones achieved since Mayor Nichols issued his Executive Order on Homelessness earlier this year.

The order outlined four major City priorities to reduce and ultimately end homelessness in Tulsa:

• Establishing an Encampment Decommissioning Team - Set to launch soon as part of the Safe Move Tulsa Initiative, this team of City personnel and service providers will coordinate outreach and service delivery as encampments are safely and humanely decommissioned across the city.
• Creating an Inclement Weather Shelter - Achieved through this new partnership with CREOKS and BeHeard Movement, this shelter ensures Tulsa is better prepared for extreme weather events, preventing the last-minute scrambles that previously occurred during cold snaps.
• Expanding Shelter Capacity Citywide - Earlier this month, the City and Tulsa County reached an agreement for the City to purchase the former juvenile detention center west of Downtown, which will become a new low-barrier shelter expected to open within the next 12-14 months.
• Launching the Mayor's Coalition on Eviction Mitigation - The coalition is now meeting regularly to address one of the leading causes of homelessness in Tulsa by preventing evictions before they occur.

Safe Move Tulsa - Tulsa's Coordinated Plan to Reduce Street Homelessness
Safe Move Tulsa is Tulsa's coordinated initiative to reduce street homelessness. This fall, Mayor Nichols and City leaders announced the Safe Move Tulsa Rehousing Initiative - a $6 million investment to house 300 individuals in the next 9-12 months, including encampment decommissioning. The initiative is a core part of the Executive Order and will further connect individuals directly to shelter and housing options while helping restore sites to their intended use.

More information about Safe Move Tulsa can be found at: www.cityoftulsa.org/SafeMove

For more information on the City of Tulsa's Path to Home Strategy, the coordinated effort to combat homelessness at the intersection of housing and mental health, visit: www.cityoftulsa.org/PathToHome

For more information on Mayor Nichols' priorities, including his goal to reach functional zero homelessness, visit: www.cityoftulsa.org/mayor/homelessness