Over the past year, Dr. Bryce Lowery, associate professor of Regional + City Planning, has been working with a team of University of Oklahoma researchers to study how to best use the $36 million granted to the state of Oklahoma by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development to support unhoused and housing-insecure Oklahomans. The team’s plan was recently approved by the Department of Housing and Urban Development, starting the process of allocating the $36 million in resources to the state of Oklahoma.
Dr. Lowery’s team conducted several surveys, meetings, and interviews to better understand the landscape of housing insecurity in Oklahoma, as the data collected on unhoused individuals often does not reflect reality.
The University of Oklahoma research team suggested that 50 percent of the federal funds be set aside for rural communities as the major population centers – Oklahoma City, Tulsa, and Lawton – in the state were given supplemental funding that rural counties did not receive. The team also proposed that the majority of the funding be spent on the construction of new housing for low-income residents. The plan for funding allocation was approved by the Department of Housing and Urban Development and will be posted on the HUD Community Planning and Development Allocation Plans website.
Another part of Dr. Lowery’s team’s work was the creation of a map of resources available to unhoused and housing insecure Oklahomans. The first draft of this map and other information about the project can be found on the project website.
A team of Construction Science and Architecture students from the Gibbs College of Architecture made their mark on the national stage this week, earning third place out of 37 universities competing at the National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) Student Competition, held during the International Builders' Show in Orlando, February 16-18, 2026.
The American Institute of Architects (AIA) has elevated Gary Armbruster, FAIA, ALEP to its prestigious College of Fellows—AIA’s highest membership honor—for his exceptional work and sustained contributions to architecture and society. Fellowship recognizes architects who have achieved a standard of excellence in the profession and made a significant impact at a national level. Members elevated to this distinction carry the FAIA designation after their name.
Students from the Spring 2026 Graduate 4 Architecture Design Studio, led by Professor Amy Leveno, exhibited their work at the School of Visual Arts. The exhibition, titled Reimagining the OU School of Visual Arts, featured drawings, models, and animations developed throughout the semester's studio project. The show was hosted in The Spotlight, a creative gallery space located on the first floor of the Fred Jones Art Center, and ran from January 20–30, 2026.
