Tulsa Development Authority Meeting: Habitat Housing Amendment, Budget and Staff Reports

The Tulsa Development Authority (TDA) met on October 22, 2026, at 17:00 UTC. The board approved a second contract amendment extending the Habitat Housing/Black Wall Street Square redevelopment deadline, heard the monthly budget-to-actuals report, and received staff updates on Moton, a billboard revenue agreement, the Patrick Heights 2B grant, and community projects. All votes were unanimous.

Action Item: Habitat Housing Contract Amendment

• TDA staff brought forward the second amendment to the contract for sale of land for private redevelopment with Habitat Housing/Boomtown for Black Wall Street Square, covering lots 1 through 12, block 3, Dickison Goodman subdivision. The amendment would revise Section 6 to extend the time for redevelopment.
• Staff explained that the existing deadline of March 2026 had been exceeded and that the project needed additional time because of construction constraints, material delays, permitting, and infrastructure development processes.
• The requested extension sets the contract completion date at March 2028. Staff stated phase one construction is expected to complete in February 2027, with phase two to begin immediately afterward and finish by March 2028.
• Board members asked whether the new timeline was sufficient. Staff responded that major factors that had delayed the project were now resolved, including vertical construction being underway, and that the March 2028 deadline should be achievable.
• After a motion and second, the board approved the amendment 3-0, with Call Bracy, Jennifer Graffin, and Ashley Phillipson voting yes.

Monthly Budget-to-Actuals Report

• Finance staff presented the monthly budget-to-actuals report. A year-to-date net operating surplus was attributed primarily to reimbursements from the TIFIA grant.
• Vegetative control spending was described as seasonal and expected to catch up. Land fee centers were routine, with only a few seasonal invoices.
• Board members had no questions on the report.

Monthly Staff Report

• Black Wall Street Square: The contract amendment approved during the meeting extends completion to March 2028.
• Moton: Staff received lot configuration feedback from Fabric Design and is reviewing it before sharing it with partners, including the community engagement partner and engineering consultant Wilkins Group. Drafting of the phase one RFP has begun.
• Billboards: Staff identified a Lamar billboard located on TDA property north of the IDL. The billboard has been operating under an old arrangement with OSU Tulsa that provided free advertising but no cash rent. Staff found an old file, recontacted Lamar, and expects to bring an agreement to the November meeting that will include annual revenue, retroactive payments back to 2019, and an escalator.
• Patrick Heights/2B grant: Engineering analysis is complete, and the consultant team has produced draft development scenarios based on the master plan and infrastructure analysis. A public meeting is scheduled for November 5, 2026.
• The scenarios are expected to include a base case, a middle case, and the option most aligned with the original master plan vision. Key differences include relocation of the Salvation Army, realignment of Martin Luther King to a two-way street, and missing-middle housing density.
• Staff plan to advertise a joint RFP in January 2027 with the Greenwood Legacy Corporation (GLC) under a cooperative agreement and land conveyance agreement that has been under negotiation for over a year and may be on next month's agenda. A commissioner asked to receive a draft before the vote; GLC was expected to approve its version at its own board meeting, after which TDA counsel would review.
• Community Impact Initiative: Four projects are moving forward; the next community engagement event is at South Haven on October 31, 2026.

Board Statements and New Business

• No future agenda item requests were made. A commissioner thanked TDA staff and said the board is gaining traction in the community despite naysayers.
• A board member encouraged the mayor, his staff, and the city council to proceed with confirmation of the newest appointed trustee because the holiday season could create quorum challenges. The nominee was scheduled to appear before the city council the previous day at 2:30, and the speaker saw no barriers to appointment, describing the nominee as a wonderful addition.

Key Outcomes

• Approved the second amendment to the Habitat Housing/Black Wall Street Square contract, extending the redevelopment deadline to March 2028, by a 3-0 vote.
• Received the monthly budget-to-actuals report; no action was taken.
• Directed staff to return in November with the billboard agreement and the GLC cooperative agreement/land conveyance agreement.
• Announced the November 5, 2026 public meeting and the planned January 2027 RFP for Patrick Heights/master plan implementation.
• The board unanimously voted to adjourn.