Home exterior maintenance program
Does your home need a facelift? Applications are being accepted to help eligible homeowners repair exterior property maintenance concerns through HUD-funded grants. For details, contact Housing Rehabilitation at 405-297-2846 or housing.rehab@okc.gov. Homeowners must meet the criteria listed below:
- Live within Oklahoma City limits
- Low-to-moderate income *
- Proof of homeownership (no rental housing)
- Property taxes are current
- Live in the home as their primary residence
- Property not located in a FEMA floodplain
- Property value cannot exceed HUD’s Area Median Value limits for Oklahoma County*
* Income criteria & max property values set annually by HUD
Coliseum construction underway
Construction has begun on the MAPS 3 and 4 OKC Fairgrounds Coliseum. The Jim Norick Arena will continue to host events until the new Coliseum opens in 2025. The 216,000-square-foot Coliseum will feature seating for more than 7,000 people, a lounge, suites, a full-service restaurant and several upscale concession areas. The $126-million project is funded through MAPS 3, MAPS 4, hotel tax revenue and other sources. Visit okc.gov/maps4 for details.
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Street outreach
City Council recently approved a one-year contract to support a pilot Homeless Street Outreach Program. Mental Health Association Oklahoma will dedicate two street outreach and crisis response teams to the program. Each team is made up of a licensed clinician and two case managers who will help connect those experiencing homelessness to community resources for housing, mental and physical health, recovery programs, employment assistance and other wrap-around services. The teams will also coordinate with the City’s Public Safety Departments to provide a non-police response to calls for assistance when requested. The street outreach and crisis response teams expand OKC’s community-based service efforts that include homeless outreach and crisis intervention.
Paperless billing
Take the hassle out of paper utility bills by signing up for an online account with our accessible, secure payment portal at okcutilities.com. You'll have access to your account anytime, anywhere. Manage account information; look up trash, recycling, or bulky waste days; monitor monthly water use; report an issue; or sign up for our Help to Others program. You can also sign up for autopay, so you never miss a payment, and access up to 13 months of bills for school enrollment or other purposes. Online bills look exactly like your paper statements, so you won’t miss a single detail. Sign up or download the My OKC Utilities App from the Apple Store or Google Play.
Animal Welfare update
On March 29, the Oklahoma City Animal Shelter closed to identify and contain a contagious upper respiratory infection that spread to 130 dogs. This is the first time in more than 24 years the shelter has closed due to a disease outbreak.
OKC Animal Shelter staff pulled samples from 10% of their ill dog population, which was 14 samples.
Eight of the samples tested positive for the following:
- Streptococcus zooepidemicus (strep zoo)
- H3N2 Influenza
- Influenza A (Canine Flu).
Every shelter dog is being treated with a round of amoxicillin and doxycycline, which are antibiotics. To date, five dogs have died because of the infections.
Shelter staff is working with the shelter’s veterinary team as well as an outside national organization to form a plan to move forward. The shelter will remain closed until further notice.
People who find a lost pet are advised to provide the pet with temporary housing and look for the owner through lost animal reports on okc.gov/animalwelfare, Facebook, Nextdoor and Craigslist.
MAPS 4 parks improvements
Parks are critical to great neighborhoods and a great city. MAPS 4 includes $70.2 million to upgrade 105 neighborhood and community parks across OKC. Park improvements will be based on park assessments and standards, in addition to feedback from the survey and public meetings. Improvements could include anything from trees and playgrounds to shade structures and splashpads. Visit MAPS4Parks.com to take the survey and get meeting dates.
Tornado season
A tornado watch means tornadoes are possible in the next several hours. A tornado warning means you need to take shelter right away. Mobile homes are unsafe during tornadoes, so find shelter inside a well-constructed building ahead of time. Do not go to a hospital for shelter. The safest place to be is in a storm shelter built to FEMA or ICC 500 standards or a basement. If you don’t have a storm shelter, get to the innermost room without windows, hallway or closet on the lowest level of the building. Visit okc.gov/storms for preparedness information, including how to make an emergency kit.
Gorilla Trek
Get closer than ever to gorillas in the jungle with the OKC Zoo’s all-new Gorilla Trek Virtual Reality (VR) experience. Gorilla Trek VR takes guests on a virtual journey as they enjoy a 360-degree live-action film with motion platform seating for an unprecedented look at endangered mountain gorillas in Rwanda. Learn more at www.okczoo.org.
Conserve with a rain barrel
OKC is partnering with the Central Oklahoma Storm Water Alliance to offer discounted rain barrels in an effort to encourage water conservation. The 55-gallon barrels are upcycled materials and come with screens to keep critters out. Order one for $69.50 by April 30 at upcycle-products.com/ok-programs/ok-city. Scroll down the page to choose your barrel, find upgrades, composters and more. Pick up is from 8:30 - 11:30 a.m. May 6 or 13 at the Household Hazardous Waste Collection Center, 1621 S Portland Ave. For details or to request a printed form, call (405) 297-1797.
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Register your storm shelter
Is your storm shelter registered and is your contact information up to date with the City? If not, log on to www.okc.gov and click the “register your storm shelter” link under the Action Center icon. The Storm Shelter Registry is a free, voluntary service that allows you to provide information about your storm shelter so police, fire and emergency responders can find you in case of an emergency.
Looking for a career?
Look no further than the City of OKC. Visit okc.gov/careers to find a job that’s right for you. The City offers competitive pay with annual performance-based adjustments. Benefits include 96 hours of vacation leave, 130 hours of sick leave per year, 11 regular holidays per year, a retirement plan, medical center, tuition reimbursement and life, health, dental and vision insurance options.
Clear your warrant
We have good news if you or someone you know has a warrant for unpaid tickets for a class “a” offense dated on or before December 31, 2020. If your citation is eligible and can be paid in full, you can reduce your penalty to a cost similar to a ticket paid on time. You won’t be arrested or go to jail. Call (405) 297-3898 from 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. on weekdays to pay your ticket or request a hearing about financial difficulties.
April showers
Flooding is the most common and widespread of all natural disasters. It can happen anywhere and anytime, with devastating results to life and property. Do not drive through flood waters if you can’t see the road ahead. One foot of water will float many vehicles and two feet of rushing water can carry them away. Turn Around. Don’t Drown.
Cruise the river
Bring mom on a river cruise. Enjoy bite-sized desserts and mimosas at the cash bar. Tickets are $30 per person and must be purchased in advance. To book your seats, visit okrivercruises.com/specialty-cruises.
The public ferry service also expands days of operation to Wednesday – Sunday in May. View the full public ferry schedule at okrivercruises.com/schedule.
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