CandysDirt.com Picks Dallas’ Top Newsmakers of 2023
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There was no shortage of people to write about on the Dallas City Hall beat at CandysDirt.com this year. It was a year of cyberattacks, lawsuits, and an exodus of high-ranking Dallas housing employees. We also saw the advent of noteworthy projects and the emergence of many local rising stars. Reporters at CandysDirt.com continued to ask tough questions and deep dive into the issues that make us the leading source of insider real estate and housing information in Dallas.
Some of our Newsmakers showed up for the second consecutive year. We also had some notable newcomers.
We can’t do what we do without good sources and quotable people. Here’s who made headlines this year, for better or worse, around the horseshoe and in our Dallas neighborhoods.
Eric Johnson: Not Afraid to Speak His Mind – Or Change It
Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson used a child’s toy boat to explain how the city was headed for an iceberg, Titanic-style, if it didn’t “right the ship” when it came to cutting property taxes.
He then, after being re-elected to the nonpartisan office of the mayor, switched parties from Democrat to Republican, leading the public to speculate whether he has plans to return to statewide office.
Earlier this month, Johnson fired off a memorandum taking City Manager T.C. Broadnax to task for his stance on Community Bond Task Force recommendations.
He keeps us wondering, “What’s he going to do next?”
Read more about how Dallas Mayor Eric Johnson ripped T.C. Broadnax over bond task force recommendations.
Public Servants Volunteer Countless Hours on Passion Projects
We got to know a few of the City Council’s appointed board members this year. These are the public servants who show up regularly for lengthy detailed meetings to do the hard work in the weeds before it gets to elected officials.
Some of our favorites were Park and Recreation board member Rudy Karimi’s firm stance on the Kalita Humphreys Theater restoration master plan and local skate parks, Plan Commission member Brent Rubin’s breakdown of ForwardDallas, Zoning Ordinance Advisory Committee member Nathaniel Barrett’s meticulous research on parking reform, and fellow ZOAC member Ryan Behring’s take on trees.
Read more about how Zoning Committee member Ryan Behring says Dallas could lure more development with urban trees.
Krista Nightengale’s Better Block Improves Experience at Inspired Vision Compassion Center
Better Block Executive Director Krista Nightengale joined forces with Dallas City Councilman Jaime Resendez in November to repurpose the parking lot at Inspired Vision Compassion Center in Pleasant Grove.
The team effort resulted in a “tactical new urbanism project,” including shaded spaces, seating, and a basketball court for hundreds of people who visit the center daily for groceries and other services.
Read more about Better Block’s reimagined parking lot.
Adam Bazaldua Squares Off Against NIMBY Neighbors
District 7 Councilman Adam Bazaldua emerged this year as a housing advocate, proposing an optimistic $400 million for housing initiatives in the 2024 bond.
He attempted to compromise on short-term rentals and budget cuts and spoke out, occasionally as the lone dissenting voice, on issues that he says target marginalized communities, including ordinances on prostitution and panhandling. He fought for discussion on minimum lot size reduction in a December housing committee meeting, declaring that “the NIMBY tone of this meeting is just out of the roof.”
“Baz” took some heat over the Austin Industries batch plant that plagued a Joppa neighborhood, and ultimately the neighbors got relief when the plant agreed to cease operations in June.
Read more about how Dallas Councilman Adam Bazaldua says prostitution ordinance ‘caters to NIMBYism.’
Builders of Hope CEO James Armstrong Fights For Affordable Housing in Dallas
Builders of Hope CEO James Armstrong told CandysDirt.com in July that he knows what it’s like to live in a homeless shelter and in the “projects” of West Dallas.
The developer took that experience and turned it into a community development corporation. He’s become an outspoken expert on affordable housing this year, testifying before the City Council and its appointed committees on how to streamline processes and make housing more affordable and attainable.
Read more about how James Armstrong took on affordable housing.
Woody Brodie Jr.’s Fight to Keep His North Oak Cliff Home
We received an outpouring of offers for help when we wrote about Woody Brodie Jr.’s complicated plight to stay in his family home despite threats from a real estate investor to have him evicted.
We heard from his neighbor Suzanne Felber, who has worked tirelessly to protect her disabled friend, who has difficulty communicating as a result of an accident. We heard from another neighbor, Matt Glenn, an attorney who agreed to take Brodie’s case pro bono.
CandysDirt.com checked on Brodie and provided a brief update last week.
Read more about Woody Brodie Jr’s fight against displacement from his legacy home.
Cara Mendelsohn Won’t Back Down
Cara Mendelsohn returned to the horseshoe this year with her usual boldness and dogged determination.
She shined a light on the massive deficit in Dallas’ police and fire pension fund. She spoke her mind about Public Facility Corporation projects. She wore a “Homes Not Hotels” T-shirt to a council meeting at which elected officials voted to ban short-term rentals in residential neighborhoods.
The District 12 council member — the only elected official to win her seat unopposed in the May election — makes sure her constituents always know where she stands on the issues.
Read more about Cara Mendelsohn’s ‘no new revenue’ plan to trim $4.63B Dallas budget.
Chad West Leads With Outside-The-Box Thinking
Chad West continues to push for debate on big issues like parking reform and minimum lot size requirements. Both matters have sparked big debate and have been widely supported by those who see changes to the City’s antiquated development code as a starting point for more affordable housing options and economic development.
West also brought the city’s book of real estate to the forefront, pointing out that Dallas owns 50,000 acres, some of which could be turned into assets or repurposed for housing. Thanks to West’s persistence on the matter, multiple panels are looking into the highest and best use for the city-owned land and buildings and city staff is discussing with real estate consultants CBRE a City Facility Master Plan.
U.S. Army veteran West is tactical in his approach to solutions, ensuring that he’s done his research and marketed his ideas to gain public support, or in some cases, learn why an Austin idea should be tweaked when applied to Dallas. We’re looking forward to Councilman West’s guest appearance on a January episode of the CandysDirt.com podcast Dallas Dirt.
Read more about how three panels are reviewing Dallas’ city-owned real estate.
Housing Advocates Storm City Hall For More Bond Money
Dallas Neighbors for Housing was our go-to advocacy organization for the first half of 2023. The young, progressive advocates organized to host webinars and support candidates in the Dallas City Council election who forwarded their mission of providing more affordable housing.
Then Dallas Housing Coalition revamped its campaign from the 2017 Dallas bond election, emerging bigger and stronger and with massive support for $200 million in housing on the 2024 bond ballot.
The two organizations remain strong and appear to recognize that they’re not in competition with each other but rather are working toward the same goal: affordable homes for everyone in Dallas.
Bryan Tony and Ashley Brundage with DHC and Adam Lamont with Dallas Neighbors for Housing have been at the forefront but there are no doubt hundreds of others who are fighting the good fight for affordable housing.
Read more about how housing and parks took center stage as advocates make a final push for $1.1 billion in bond funds.
Julia Ryan Drops Mic With Social Media Post After Resigning as Planning and Urban Design Director
Former Planning and Urban Design Director Julia Ryan took some hits during her brief tenure at Dallas City Hall.
Ryan inherited an outdated development code, disorganized paper files, and a slew of angry developers and residents who either didn’t like her expert opinion or didn’t think she was moving fast enough to solve the city’s decades-old problems.
She left in September for a job as a transportation planner with an Arkansas consulting firm but fired a parting shot on LinkedIn when the Dallas Morning News ran a guest column criticizing the planning department and its leadership.
Assistant Planning Director Andrea Gilles is now in the interim director seat with big shoes to fill, and we’re keeping an eye on her for next year’s Newsmakers list.
Read more about how former Dallas planning chief Julia Ryan slams ‘toxic’ criticism of public sector employees.
Jesse Moreno Takes the Helm at Housing And Homelessness Solutions
District 2 Councilman Jesse Moreno was re-elected in May and took over as chairman of the council’s closely-watched Housing and Homelessness Solutions Committee.
He’s not often quoted in stories on HHS committee meetings because he’s actually running the meeting and letting the others do the talking.
Moreno has been a voice of reason, a staunch advocate for parks, and a friendly presence in the neighborhoods he represents. He’s a welcome guest at Saturday morning neighborhood meetings in Elm Thicket/Northpark, greeting residents and taking note of their concerns.
While Moreno doesn’t do much arguing or grandstanding, you can bet he’s listening.
Read more about Moreno’s work with Elm Thicket/Northpark residents.
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Great article. I especially like the one on Cara Mendelson.
Everyone listed here is passionate about their craft. Thank you for spotlighting it for the rest of the world to see. I can’t wait to see what 2024 brings us!