Are Homeless People Living in The Storm Drains of North Dallas Neighborhoods?

A resident of North Dallas’ JanMar neighborhood awoke with a start a few weeks ago when the Ring doorbell camera app on her phone alerted her to movement just outside her front door. Most residents would expect something like a raccoon or even a coyote when checking the video feed at 3:30 a.m.

However, this JanMar homeowner was shocked to see a man pulling himself out of the storm drain on her quiet street. It’s an eerie sight, considering the season and a movie about a certain clown that lures children into the dark drains of residential streets.

The man had initially tossed his belongings out of the drain and onto the street just before the recording started. After that, he shimmied out of the storm drain on his stomach, packed his belongings, and then started to slowly walk up the street.

Considering the heavy rains our region is sometimes plagued with, entering or living in storm drains can prove to be deadly. In Las Vegas, up to 1,500 people are living in the city’s storm drain system at any time. Entire documentaries have been made about people living in the dark recesses of Las Vegas’ underground tunnels. Homeless people have died during the Las Vegas Valley’s monsoon season, trapped in the tunnels while the water rises out of control.

In response, city officials in Las Vegas have sealed several drain covers shut to discourage encampments within the city’s miles of tunnels.

However, when the resident notified the City of Dallas of the man exiting the storm drain on her street, city staff told her that they cannot put a gate on the storm drain creek on Forest Lane near North Central Expressway. Staff sent a request to another department to get two storm drains on Malabar Lane repaired where the concrete curb had been chipped away.  

While the neighbor reported the incident to the Hillcrest Forest Neighborhood Association and to her city council representative — District 11’s Jaynie Schultz — she has not seen any action taken. She did tell the homeowner she would notify the Office of Homeless Solutions.

CandysDirt.com reached out to Schultz regarding the incident and received this response:

Thank you for reaching out.  When we were made aware of this video, we immediately contacted the Office of Homeless Solutions.  Additionally, HFNA has reached out to their security team as well.  I have offered to host a neighborhood meeting in addition to the Neighborhood Summit at which we discussed the challenge of homelessness and all the steps we are taking.

I have copied OHS to offer their steps as well.  It is critical that people make the OHS and their outreach team aware of all cases of homelessness.