2026-08-20 · housing
State troopers cleared a homeless encampment in Norman. Again.
Oklahoma Highway Patrol troopers cleared a state-owned lot in Norman on Friday under Gov. Kevin Stitt's Operation SAFE, giving residents 20 minutes to gather belongings before bulldozers removed tents; volunteers estimated 40 to 60 people were displaced. It was the second Operation SAFE sweep of the same site, which people had returned to after a May clearance. Letters from state COO David Ostrowe put state spending on clearing encampments from state property at $375,701 in Oklahoma City and $523,873 in Tulsa; Norman's clearing cost was not included.
Norman voters approved an $8 million shelter bond in April; construction is on hold while the Oklahoma Supreme Court considers an appeal challenging the bond's approval.