BROKEN ARROW, Okla. – The Gatesway Foundation has broken ground on a nearly $59 million community-based housing initiative in Broken Arrow.
Gatesway has served Oklahomans with intellectual and developmental disabilities, including Down syndrome and autism, for more than 60 years.
Kristina Watkins with Gatesway says finding safe, affordable housing is a major challenge for people with disabilities. Watkins says the beauty of having affordable housing on their campus is that Gatesway already has a 24/7 operation.
The Villages at Rose Hill will bring 180 apartments to Gatesway’s 41-acre property, with 20 to 30 percent reserved for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities.
Gatesway says the development will triple its current housing capacity.
The rest will be affordable housing for local workers, including teachers, healthcare workers, and first responders.
The Broken Arrow City Council approved the project in January 2025.
By May 2025, the project had secured $10 million in state funding and about $27 million in federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credits through the Oklahoma Housing Finance Agency.
The project also received $2 million in federal Investment Tax Credits to help fund solar power throughout the property.
That means the cost of electricity will be included in the rent.
“The Villages at Rose Hill represents the kind of thoughtful investment that strengthens our community by creating more opportunities for people to thrive in Broken Arrow,” said Broken Arrow City Councilor Justin Green. “We are proud to support a development that promotes independence, inclusion, and a stronger future for all residents.”
