As the summer break comes to a close, please mark your calendars to join me to discuss the 2023-24 City of Dallas Budget in one of our three Budget Town Hall Meetings. This year, in addition to offering one town hall in English (with Spanish translation) and one town hall in Spanish, I am hosting a virtual, lunch and learn Town Hall during the work week in hopes of reaching people who may have other commitments during the evening. Please join us! | |
|
Other important updates:
An Opportunity to Impact our Affordable Housing Crisis. In the last five years, home prices in one of the gentrifying neighborhoods of North Oak Cliff rose from an average of $200K to $300K. And recent comps are supporting sales prices of $500K and up for certain neighborhoods like Sunset Hill in which you could buy a 1920’s arts and craft bungalow for $150K less than a decade ago. If we don’t acknowledge this rapid rise in prices across Dallas and deploy tools to provide for more workforce housing, we will be on track to price out many of our working class families, including police officers, fire fighters, teachers, and hospital techs. The City of Austin just passed a resolution that directed staff to pursue three main changes: legalize three homes on every lot by right, lower the minimum lot size to 2,500 square feet, and exempt duplexes, triplexes and quadplexes from submitting costly and burdensome site plans (cutting down weeks of permitting time). I am proposing a resolution that would do the same thing, with two adjustments (lower the minimum lot size to 1,500 SF and allow the three homes by right on in-fill (vacant) lots only).
Violent Crime Reduction Plan – Recent Results. Chief Eddie Garcia arrived in Dallas with a bold plan to reduce violent crime. It appears to be working. Click here to read about these results. In the results section of the report, a particular quote jumped out at me:
- “the overall hot spots treatment strategy across the four treatment periods (668 grid months) resulted in a 10.7% reduction in expected violent crime incidents within the treatment grids compared to all other areas of the city.”
- I will continue to support the Chief’s and DPD’s efforts to focus on the worst crimes in our city.
Parklets (Street Seats) are Permanent! In June, Council supported an effort to make Street Seats (the little parklets that popped up during COVID-19…in the dozens….but exist in the hundreds in other cities) permanent. Here is the unanimous vote in support of making “Street Seats” permanent: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1YtRHu-8Z7U
| Lastly, earlier this month, we buried a Dallas hero, former DPD Chief David Kunkle. Chief Kunkle was a personal friend, and I was blessed to have the opportunity to pay tribute to his memory by presenting a flag to his son, Michael Kunkle. | |
|
Aquatics Schedule Change
Due to staffing shortages, schedule reductions are taking place at City of Dallas Aquatics Centers, starting July 17th until August 6th. The proposed schedule has reduced the operational schedule for the community pools from 5 to 3 days per week which will save a total of 2,538 hours and reduce the Community and Neighborhood Aquatic Centers from 6 to 4 days per week to save and additional 3,984 hours. The new schedule is below.
| |
Short Term Rental FAQs
The Dallas City Council has adopted new regulations regarding short term rentals (STRs). Please refer to Chapter 42B of the City Code or visit the Code Compliance Service website for more information.
| |
|
With extreme temperatures forecast across North Texas, the City of Dallas is encouraging residents to conserve and prepare. Public facilities including recreation centers are open during normal business hours for relief from the heat. Learn more at bit.ly/DALHeatPrep. | |
The City of Dallas Community Emergency Response Team (CERT) program teaches community members about disasters that affect the Dallas area. This is a free course that does not require identification but does require pre-registration. It is ideal for individuals who like to be involved in their communities, interested in emergency/disaster preparedness, and interested in helping out in their neighborhood/community during disasters. Learn more and register at dallascert.com. | |
-
3-1-1 Dashboard here
-
Crime Analytics Dashboard here
-
Domestic Violence Crime Dashboard here
-
Fire-Rescue Dashboard is here
-
Open Data Portal is here
-
Census Data Hub here
-
OHS Service Request Dashboard here
-
Vision Zero Dashboard here
-
FreshStart Program Dashboard here
-
ForwardDallas Land Use Plan interactive map
-
Public Zoning Map here
-
Pavement Conditions map here
| |
The Summer of Safety is back! First launched in June 2022, Summer of Safety is designed to encourage the participation of Dallas’ youth in the City of Dallas’ free and low-cost activities to keep them engaged and safe during the summer break. The City of Dallas is proud to offer dozens of free and low-cost activities to help kids and teens learn, have fun, and stay safe this summer. Access a complete list of activities and amenities available here: bit.ly/DallasSummerOfSafety. | |
The date for the 2023 Dallas Mayor’s Back To School Fair is confirmed for Friday, August 4, 2023, at Fair Park. Families will be required to pre-register for appointments that day (8:00 am – 2:00 pm) in order to receive the free school supplies. Registration for families, vendors, and volunteers will all open in mid-June. For more information, please visit www.mayorsbacktoschoolfair.com. | |
From 1:30 to 2 p.m. on the second and fourth Fridays of each month, the West Dallas Multipurpose Center will be hosting a fresh produce drive thru. Residents can drive-up (or walk-up) to WDMC and will receive fresh produce, free of charge – no qualifications required. Partners include The Last Patrol, The American Heart Association and North Dallas Food Bank. | |
The Office of Homeless Solutions Give Responsibly campaign encourages donations to nonprofits serving our most vulnerable neighbors to end homelessness and reduce street charity. To help, residents can text 214-740-7886 with the word CARES. Residents will then receive a direct link to the DallasHomelessSolutions.com/get-involved, where they can Give Responsibly to help end homelessness.
Learn how you can be the solution by giving to nonprofit service providers directly. bit.ly/GiveResponsiblyDallas
| |
Download the application on your Android phone HERE or iPhone HERE | | | | |
