Housing Solutions hires deputy director to support increased housing efforts

Housing Solutions recently added to its leadership team following a national search to support increased efforts to make homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring in Tulsa.

Laura Evanoff, Housing Solutions deputy director, started Monday, bringing a range of experience from several of the nation’s top homelessness service agencies to Tulsa.

“Tulsa is an incredible community with a great reputation for compassion and giving,” Evanoff said. “I’m thrilled to make Tulsa my home and look forward to making our community more resilient through the mission at Housing Solutions.”

Evanoff most recently served as the Director of Government Grants for SEARCH Homeless Services in Houston, which is recognized as the national gold standard for responding to increased homelessness. SEARCH Homeless Services is one of Houston’s top agencies for helping people move from homelessness into permanent, stable housing.

Before her grant-focused work in Houston, Evanoff held leadership positions for Austin’s Continuum of Care lead agency overseeing system-wide performance and at direct-service agencies as a licensed clinical social worker.

“Whether it’s grants, data-informed strategies, licensed clinical work or outreach, she really has done it all in the fight to end homelessness,” said Becky Gligo, Housing Solutions executive director. “Despite all her qualifications and impressive resume items, her genuine passion for helping people on a path to housing is what shines through.”

Evanoff joined Housing Solutions following a year of expanded efforts with several new initiatives launching in 2023.

In October 2022, Housing Solutions led the effort to secure a $5.38 million, annual award from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to end youth homelessness in Tulsa. Once implemented[GU1] , the Youth Homelessness Demonstration Program will support a broad group of agencies and begins this year with community-wide planning led by Housing Solutions.   

In 2021 and again in 2022, Housing Solutions increased Tulsa’s portion of HUD-funding for A Way Home for Tulsa agencies by 40% including the YHDP award and HUD’s annual Continuum of Care funding competition. Through these efforts alone, more than $6.5 million in renewable federal funding is coming into Tulsa to make homelessness rare, brief and non-recurring. 

Housing Solutions has also stepped into crises including the 2021 ice storm and the December cold snap at Christmas when more than 200 Tulsans were welcomed into an emergency pop-up shelter.

“Since Housing Solutions formed in 2021, we’ve had incredible successes along with our amazing A Way Home for Tulsa partners,” Gligo said. “Laura joins us at a high-water mark, and we’re excited to have her expertise as we navigate the challenges to end homelessness in Tulsa.”