TPD, 71st Street corridor merchants meet to discuss upsurge in homelessness, panhandling

Police officers from Tulsa’s Mingo Valley Division organized a meeting Thursday with merchants from the 71st Street business corridor, they said, to hear from them in person about the problems they are facing and to encourage collaboration.

Tulsa Police Maj. Mark Wollmershauser, division commander, said police have received repeated complaints from businesses in the area, which is experiencing not only more homelessness, but an increase in aggressive panhandling and other behaviors.

“I’ve lost employees because they are frightened,” Kim Koch of Saied Music told police at the meeting.

“I have young employees, and they didn’t bargain on cleaning up human feces and urine on the front steps daily. Needles, knives, having to ask mentally ill people to leave our doors every single morning.”

“It’s getting out of hand,” agreed Jimmy Vega, owner of Jimmy’s New York Pizzeria.

He said his employees face similar issues in the mornings, and customers are being affected, as well.

“I have customers who call and say, ‘I can’t get out of my car. They are coming to my car.’”

Tracy Phillips, manager of the Greens of Bedford apartments near 71st Street and Garnett Road, said: “I came from the 71st and Lewis area. So you know what that area is like. And this is worse. It’s amazing that (panhandlers) are on every single corner. And there are tents behind the Renaissance (Hotel) and in every wooded area.”

The meeting, held at the Eton Square 6 Cinema, was attended by about 25 merchants. Police officers were joined by City Councilor Lori Decter Wright and Brant Pitchford of the city of Tulsa’s Working in Neighborhoods Department.

Decter Wright said the increase in homelessness likely ties in with local evictions.

“We’ve talked a lot about our unsheltered Tulsans, and we know it’s a growing issue,” she said. “This area in District 7 along Memorial and Mingo literally has the highest rate of evictions. That’s something that we are tackling.”

Pitchford advised the merchants on forming a business association.

“You’ve got to develop that core group,” he said. “That may be this group here. Ones that are willing to come and spend the time, people that are willing to champion the process, day by day, hour by hour almost.”

Decter Wright thanked police for coordinating the meeting and encouraged the merchants to organize.

“I’m happy to help facilitate because I know it needs a point person,” she said.

“Our area generates 23% of the sales taxes that fund city services, so we’re very adamant that it not only needs to survive but it needs to thrive and be a destination.”

Addressing her fellow merchants, Koch said: “I’ve been in contact with law enforcement and Councilor Wright, and I know they’re working really hard. So I just want to emphasize that if we can mobilize as a single voice, I think that we can help them do a better job.”

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