LOCAL
Kimberly Marsh, The Oklahoma Eagle
Photo: Kimberly Marsh/The Oklahoma Eagle
On Wednesday, Tulsa installed massive boulders along the sidewalk near the downtown bus station. By Friday, critiques and backlash reached City Hall as Mayor Monroe Nichols called a 4 p.m. public meeting to address concerns.
“While I am confident in this process, I have heard your feedback and want you to know that it is being taken with the utmost seriousness,” his post read. “While this area is often frequented by individuals experiencing homelessness, we have been working closely with BeHeard from the project’s inception to ensure that those in need have a safe place to go.”
Some major cities like Atlanta and Seattle have used boulders to deter homeless encampments, sparking debates in those places too. Opponents have labeled it hostile architecture, arguing they are ineffective and do not address the underlying issues of homelessness.
Tulsa’s boulders appeared a few weeks after the Tulsa World reported business owners asked local attorney Joel Wohlgemuth to intervene on their behalf.
He reportedly requested that Nichols enforce nuisance laws equally downtown, citing repeated issues involving people experiencing homelessness.
City spokesperson Michelle Brooks said Thursday the installations are part of a sidewalk improvement plan that is not yet completed, but did not provide any more details. However, Brooks said the move highlights the community need for social services.
On Thursday, a spokesperson for Housing Solutions Tulsa told the Eagle in a statement they “were not aware of the specific design being installed and were not a part of the design process or the choice to install these boulders.”
In his Facebook post, Nichols said the boulders will become a canvas for community art.
