OKC Plan, 2000-2020 - City of Oklahoma City

Actions
Promote the preservation of existing housing stock through the following actions:
• Emphasize preservation of existing housing stock through rehabilitation over demolition.
• Strengthen the enforcement of property maintenance codes.
• Provide financial assistance through loan programs and tax incentives to owners for
rehabilitation of both renter- and owner-occupied properties.
• Assist in the creation of tax-exempt neighborhood organizations which could receive
donations of properties which owners can no longer afford to maintain.
• Develop other programs to provide incentives for rehabilitating, rather than tearing down
older homes.
Promote the revitalization of older neighborhoods through a variety of efforts aimed at
increasing the desirability of these neighborhoods as places to live and own homes through the
following actions:
• Promote safety through neighborhood based programs to reduce crime including
neighborhood policing and neighborhood crime watch.
• Improve schools in older neighborhoods by repairing or replacing existing school buildings
and involving neighborhood, business, volunteer, and civic groups, social agencies, and
other governmental entities in major programs to improve educational quality.
• Promote closer ties between schools, neighborhoods, and other community groups by
expanding the use of school facilities for neighborhood groups and programs.
• Repair or replace streets and sidewalks in poor condition, construct new sidewalks where not
now present, provide additional street lighting, preserve existing trees and plant new trees
where needed, and improve neighborhood parks and recreation programs.
• Replace water and sewer lines in older neighborhoods which are deteriorating and which are
inadequate in capacity.
• Improve the appearance of neighborhoods and the condition of housing through concentrated
code enforcement efforts.
• Provide assistance to residents for housing and neighborhood improvements including
training in property maintenance skills where needed.
• Identify and encourage neighborhood designs which promote participation of neighborhood
residents in outside activities and increase residents= perception of comfort and safety and
emphasize the relationship of the house to the street.
• Work with schools, neighborhood groups, and real estate professionals, and financial
institutions to convey the positive accomplishments of neighborhood revitalization efforts
and the benefits of living in older neighborhoods with a particular emphasis on attracting
higher income residents.
• Work with Oklahoma City employers to develop incentives to encourage their employees to
purchase houses and rent units within the center city.
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