As Perry writes in his 2020 book Know Your Price, the success of local economic development programs requires bridge-building across communities within a city and the involvement of local residents in the planning process. We've been featured in "My wife and I were looking for a place to raise our son and Tulsa has been a great fit for our family. And as effective as the GKFFs $10,000 stipends have been, its not sustainable to get in a bidding war with other cities to lure workers. And as effective as the GKFFs $10,000 stipends have been, its not sustainable to get in a bidding war with other cities to lure workers. May 04, 2021. Born in Rochester, and raised and educated in North Carolina, shes also lived in Atlanta, Washington D.C., San Francisco, Oakland, and Los Angeles. They would recommend coming to Tulsa to visit and see if it's a good fit before accepting. As a result, Lettieri says Tulsa hasnt suffered from many of the negative consequences associated with a rush of new, well-paid residents, such as a spike in housing prices and rising cost of living. Simply just be yourself! I was moving either way and was actually already under contract on a house. Just be yourself, we are pretty nice around here despite what you might have heard. The standard answer is that knowledge-sector jobs that can be done remotely are high-paying and tend to have spillovers to the local community at least when housing costs dont rise enough to cancel out those benefits. The City of Tulsa and other community organizations lend their support to ensure program participants are fully immersed and engaged in the community. Benefits: $10,000 (either via monthly stipends or lump sum if you purchase a home in Tulsa) A free co-working space for three years Exclusive events in Tulsa 2018 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. I got an email asking for a background check and income verification about two weeks after. And two new studies suggest the program is working: the participants are experiencing a higher standard of living due to the citys low housing costs, and are engaged in the community. Rent - $658 Tulsa vs. $1,500 Chicago, 2 BR Avg. The median family income was about 80 percent of the national average, according to the study. So I turned to Sen and asked if he was down to move to Tulsa, OK, with me if we got in. This is an important part of the local economic development strategy, and the fact that it was designed and backed by a key local institution, in partnership with other local stakeholders, is a big part of the battle.. We know remote arrangements take planning. by the Economic Innovation Group, a think tank, estimated Tulsa Remotes effect on the citys economy using standard models of economic development. Can I apply if Im already in the process of buying a house/signing a lease in Tulsa? The program wants to attract "talented and energetic people" to Tulsa who care about making a difference in their local community . "Tulsa is most definitely on the come up, and the opportunity to build my company here alongside an incredible community of passionate individuals has been amazing,". With Tulsa Remote you get a built-in community, instead of coming here on my own, which was kind of intimidating, says Law. There are lots of smaller cities that can offer inexpensive housing. Remote workers tend to be well paid; theyre in white collar digital and professional occupations, generally speaking, and those tend to come with pretty high salaries, explains Kenan Fikri, EIGs research director. We even offer a. Sen and I didn't visit Tulsa right away. According to a 2018 Upwork report, 63 percent of companies surveyed had at least one employee working remotely, and hiring managers predicted that in the next 10 years, 38 percent of their full-time employees will work mostly remotely. Theyre really big on what you are able to bring to the community. Often, this is referred to as working from home or telecommuting.. The following steps are to check out the city either in person or virtually (I recommend you to check out the city in person for a full experience) and make your final decision if you want to make the move. To be considered for the Tulsa Remote program, we ask that applicants meet all four eligibility requirements: You can move to Tulsa within the next 12 months. A program paid workers $10,000 to relocate to Tulsa. "If you can come to town, and bring your job here, it can be a home run.". It's a model that would work well for high-income, potentially transient residents like the ones Tulsa Remote may attract who rent rather than own property. All told, Tulsa Remote is estimated to have contributed $62 million in new labor income to the local economy in 2021. . What was your example? I do think it had. When is the earliest people are accepted to move to Tulsa? Its economy specializes in oil and gas, aerospace, and manufacturing. Rent - $658 Tulsa vs. $1,184 Austin, Median Home Price - $157K Tulsa vs. $917K SF, Median Home Price - $157K Tulsa vs. $390K New York, Median Home Price - $157K Tulsa vs. $546K LA, Median Home Price - $157K Tulsa vs. $394K DC, Median Home Price - $157K Tulsa vs. $484K Seattle, Median Home Price - $157K Tulsa vs. $443K Boston, Median Home Price - $157K Tulsa vs. $442K Denver, Median Home Price - $157K Tulsa vs. $385K Portland, Median Home Price - $157K Tulsa vs. $610K San Diego, Median Home Price - $157K Tulsa vs. $242K Chicago, Median Home Price - $157K Tulsa vs. $296K Austin. Do I still qualify? . According to the study, the average annual income of program members is nearly $105,000. Theyre also more likely to report engagement in their local community. Anyone can schedule a Guided Tour at their convenience. The so-called superstar cities are still winning, both for in-office jobs and even for work-from-home. Here are some details of our move and our experience with the program and the city. Wealth in Tulsa is lower than national averages, according to the 2015 American Communities Survey. I hope to be joining you soon :), Emphasize your desire to shop locally. var message="Function Disabled! We've already driven back to LA for work and seen our families a few times during our first nine months. Claire Tomm decided to apply to Tulsa Remote after hearing about it from a friend whod participated. The job came with a raise, which was amplified by the lower cost of living. I started to get envious, she said. The 2020 edition of the Tulsa Remote program seeks to welcome over 200 applicants. Transcript. Tulsa Remote launched in November 2018 in an effort to recruit a diverse group of talented professionals across multiple industries to relocate and be a part of the existing growth happening in Tulsa. Which means that in 2021 There is an estimated $13.77 boost in new local labor income for every dollar spent toward relocating a remote worker. I feel like every day is a surprise I literally find something new every day and my social life is even bigger than it was in New York. Interesting that you say that. Tulsa Remote is a one-year program designed to attract remote workers from around the country by paying them to move to and work from Tulsa for at least 12 months. We've been here for almost nine months, and we've loved it so far! To be considered for the Tulsa Remote program, we ask that applicants meet all four eligibility requirements: You can move to Tulsa within the next 12 months. Throw in a low cost of living, and you'll have no trouble finding reasons to start your next chapter in Tulsa. For my interview, I tried to think of the top 4-5 things that were most interesting about me, and how I'd bring them to the table, so to speak. There are even a few Tulsa Remote specials. In my hometown in Wilkinsburg, [part of the Pittsburgh metro area], there were a lot of promises made that the recruitment of tech talent would impact other places besides the city [of Pittsburgh], he said in an interview. How Tulsa is Helping Remote Workers: An Interview with Dustin Curzon of 36 Degrees North Cobot The leading management software for coworking spaces worldwide, trusted by coworking spaces, office hubs, and flexible workspaces of all sizes to grow and manage their communities. The people in the community all share similar personality traits. Tulsa has been really great, and we do plan to buy a house next year.. It takes roughly 13 minutes max to get anywhere in Tulsa; in any other city, that's the minimum time it takes to drive 0.6 miles. By accepting all cookies, you agree to our use of cookies to deliver and maintain our services and site, improve the quality of Reddit, personalize Reddit content and advertising, and measure the effectiveness of advertising. Tulsa Remote also compares favorably to one of the other staples of local development: Cutting taxes to attract companies. We mailed many items that were not fragile, like cloth, bedding, etc., fit everything else plus our cat and dog into our SUV, and started our trip to Tulsa. We've traveled to Nevada, Arizona, Utah, Colorado, New Mexico, Missouri, and Texas and stopped in 16 cities (not counting cities we've visited before moving to Tulsa). Tulsa Remote is intended for individuals who work remotely for an organization that is not based in Oklahoma. And theyre encouraged to get to know the people in their neighborhood and become involved within their communities. Exhibited my photography work during the Accidentally Wes Anderson: THIS IS AN ADVENTURE exhibit in the Philbrook Museum of Art. In other words, if you get a job in Tulsa, you don't qualify for the cash. Even before the pandemic, the program was having great. gtag('config', 'UA-115877007-1'); It was definitely fun to see all the sights but very troublesome with all of our stuff in the car. Dont tell them youre going to move either way lol. The question is whether Tulsa can continue to attract remote workers when it has to compete with, say, Wichita, Kansas or Omaha, Nebraska. Tulsa also has a significantly lower cost of living than Los Angeles, so we can focus on our business Evolusenand our passion fortravel photography. The Tulsa metro area is home to one million people, but its population growth has been slower than many other midsize cities in recent years. By rejecting non-essential cookies, Reddit may still use certain cookies to ensure the proper functionality of our platform. Events relating to Tulsa Remote program extends to events to help participants get to know their [+] communities better. And, perhaps most importantly, how many remote workers want to move in the first place? In partnership with the George Kaiser Family Foundation, which is footing the bill, Oklahoma's second-largest city announced an incentive package targeting remote workers to relocate to Tulsa. Like others have mentioned, talk about community involvement, what youre passionate about and what you can contribute to the community. So while I thought there would be more than one interview, it doesn't seem like it, unless visiting is mandatory with an in person interview happening at that time. Levit expects the first cohort will touch down in Tulsa in early 2019. Summer is hot and humid. In 2020, as more Americas were given the opportunity to work remotely in the wake of the pandemic, that number jumped to 50,000. And two recent studies suggest the investment was worth it. Can I still apply if I just recently moved to Tulsa? Tulsa Remote provides resources to help finalists discover and secure suitable housing before they move to Tulsa, including a new housing portal. This is a BETA experience. Its economy specializes in oil and gas, aerospace, and manufacturing. But for now, that question counts as a good problem to have. Just in case anyone is planning on applying: DO NOT TELL THEM YOU ARE OR HAVE PLANS TO MOVE TO TULSA. Much of what our program does is remove the barriers that cause difficulties in individuals settling into a new city quickly, said Bolzle. It was one of the most widely publicized bids by a city to become a hub for remote work and so far, its succeeding, according to two recent studies of the program. Ive never been to Tulsa and want to visit before I make the move. Follow us for travel tips, photos of different destinations in the US and inspiration~, Dig for Crystals at the Salt Plains National Wildlife Refuge, Oklahoma. Initially, 100 slots were available, and the program administrators figured they might get 1,000 total applications. This includes: currently working with a realtor, in escrow, about to close on your home, have closed on your home, have already purchased a property in Oklahoma, or have signed a lease prior to completing your background check and being formally accepted into the program. They do ask about your salary, so dont let that catch you off guard. I've visited Tulsa a couple times and I agree, you Tulsans are very welcoming. That kind of thing. A community for Tulsa Oklahoma and surrounding areas. We'll pay for you to live here, too. What kind of remote work do you do? Creatives mold the vibrant culture in Tulsa. The study also found that for every two household members brought to Tulsa through the program, one new local job was created. But what makes Tulsa's program unique is its focus on remote workers. If you take the relative anonymity of living in a city like New York or San Francisco, and contrast that with the Tulsa Remote experimentof a place rolling out the red carpet for you and saying in monetary, and more importantly, non monetary ways, how much they value youpeople feel good about that, adds Fikri. Should I mention that or instead say that I am thinking about moving to Tulsa but not 100% yet. The standard answer is that knowledge-sector jobs that can be done remotely are high-paying and tend to have. All episodes. Some of Tulsa's most prominent updates are visible in the city's aesthetics and infrastructure: In the past 10 years, a mix of public and private dollars has helped build the sprawling $465. So we planned for a 7-day journey making multiple stops along the way like Zion National Park, Horseshoe Bend, Shiprock, New Mexico, etc. Tulsa Remote was estimated to add $62 million in new local earnings in 2021 $51.3 million directly attributable to relocated remote workers and $10.7 million from the employment boost . But what makes Tulsa's program unique is its focus on remote workers. We saw more and more of those members stay beyond their two years of service, he says. What Our Members Are Saying That just didnt happen. Read employee reviews and ratings on Glassdoor to decide if Tulsa Remote is right for you. Gathering Place, Tulsa's 66-acre riverfront park, offers out-of-this-world play structures (plus bar and lounge space for those of us too big for the banana slide). Each grant is distributed over the course of a year to eligible remote workers or entrepreneurs living outside of Oklahoma. Are there evens or weekly/monthly meetings for the cohort? I use apartments.com. But Tulsa Remote's backers anticipate some of the participants won't be remote workers forever. For application purposes, all domestic partners/family members must apply in the same two-week calendar period. Nationally-recognized restaurants meet local Tulsa flair. How did that go? While we try to accept a wide variety of movers and shakers into our program, we, unfortunately, can't invite everyone. We were still hesitant since we'd never even been to Oklahoma. That just didnt happen. What's happening: It all started in 2018 with Tulsa Remote, . We moved to Tulsa Oklahoma with Tulsa Remote! It's a growing segment of the workforce. Hi, 32-Levels. window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; In creating Tulsa Remote, Stewart says he was inspired by Teach for America, a non-profit organization that deploys graduates from the countrys top universities to low income communities to teach for two years. ", "I am loving Tulsa. Each community is unique, and has to have a unique set of data that theyre monitoring and working through regularly, says Ben Stewart, the senior program officer at the George Kaiser Family Foundation, which designed and funded the Tulsa Remote program. Although the groups arent exactly comparable, the idea was that the differences between them provide decent estimates of how Tulsa Remote has affected those involved. This is not a one-size-fits-all solution.. Last year, while researching the Tulsa Massacre, Law came across an ad for a program called Tulsa Remote, which enticed remote workers and entrepreneurs to the mid-sized Oklahoman city with a $10,000 relocation stipend. This major public-private partnership to develop the citys waterfront, the fact that theres a burgeoning art scene, I think Tulsa was positioned well, not just because of its size, but because of the assets and amenities that are here that people just didnt know about previously.. I'm a travel blogger, and photographer, recently moved to Tulsa, Oklahoma from Los Angeles, California with my husband Sen, our cat Shadow, and dog Lumi. Accidentally Wes Anderson: THIS IS AN ADVENTURE, Korean Friendship Bell San Pedro, Los Angeles, California Jigsaw puzzle, Lions Lighthouse in Long Beach, California - Frame Poster, McWay Falls at Big Sur, California - Framed poster. Tulsa Remote is a one-year program designed to attract remote workers from around the country by paying them to move to and work from Tulsa for at least 12 months.