City of Lawton foreclosing on properties owned by former Great Plains Improvement Foundation

The City of Lawton has filed foreclosure action on seven properties associated with the former Great Plains Improvement Foundation.

The foundation relinquished its status as a community action agency in Spring 2024 and officially closed its doors in July 2024, according to the Oklahoma Department of Commerce. While local administrators and members of the foundation board of directors declined to make any statements, the Oklahoma Department of Commerce (which allocated federal funding to the agency) issued a statement in September 2024 saying that “Over an extended period of time, Great Plains Improvement Foundation lost and was unable to regain the administrative capacity needed in order to comply with the rigorous standards necessary to receive state and federal grants.” When Great Plains took its action, that ended its eligibility to receive funding from the Oklahoma Department of Commerce, officials said.

Funding sources for the foundation included HOME Program and Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funding, grants handled by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and allocated to the City of Lawton each federal fiscal year for housing and social service activities. Qualified local applicants apply for and must be approved for the funding, which comes with strict federal guidelines for spending and reporting. For example, in 2019, the Annual Action Plan (which designates how HOME and CDBG funds will be spent) allocated Great Plains Improvement Foundation $60,000 to rehab two of its rental homes, and planned to allocate $200,000 to either Great Plains or Lawton Housing Authority to buy two vacant homes, then rehab them and turn them into rental homes for low-income residents.

Great Plains Improvement Foundation had not received any HOME or CDBG funding in several years before it became inactive, city officials said.

The City of Lawton has been working with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and the Oklahoma Attorney General’s Office to investigate property transactions that they said Great Plains Improvement Foundation conducted in June 2024.

Lawton city officials said that during the review, investigators discovered local properties restricted by liens held by the City of Lawton, including those tied to HUD’s HOME Program, were sold to an investor without the city’s knowledge or consent. City officials said that transaction violated federal program requirements and, in turn, triggered compliance issues with HUD. HOME funding is strictly limited to housing-related issues for qualified low-income individuals or those who service such individuals, under federal definitions.

According to a statement issued by the City of Lawton, city officials have initiated efforts “to ensure accountability, recover funds and minimize the potential impact on Lawton’s affordable housing initiatives.” City officials said administrators also are reviewing internal processes “to prevent similar occurrences in the future.”

The city filed foreclosure notices in Comanche County District Court on Friday on seven properties associated with the foundation: No. 8 NW 27th, 707 NW 31st, 716 NW 31st, 1611 SW 10th, 1622 NW 48th, 2205 NW 26th and 2238 NW Pollard.

“We take this matter very seriously,” said City Attorney John Andrew. “The City of Lawton is dedicated to protecting taxpayer funds and ensuring compliance with federal housing regulations. We will continue to work with all relevant parties to resolve this issue and safeguard the resources that support our community.”