Hope for affordable housing? Single room occupancy units touted as model solution

Source: Norman Transcript — 

When it comes to homelessness and affordable housing, a nonprofit has suggested Norman look to single room units modeled in Houston — an approach at least one organization has successfully implemented.

U.S. Census data shows Houston is home to 2.3 million people and 32 universities and colleges. New Hope Housing manages more than 1,000 single room occupancy units, also known as efficiency one-room apartments.

Homebase staff attorney David Dirks told a room full of Norman residents participating in a listening session on homelessness to consider single room units as modeled in Houston.

Homebase is the city’s contractor which released a report following a homelessness analysis review. The single-room unit model is on the list of recommendations to help solve the affordable housing crisis in Norman.