Katrina Whatley: The Clyde Apartments Are Gone and Oak Cliff Is Showing Up

By Katrina Whatley
Oak Cliff Resident and Realtor

Grief and solidarity are evident in North Oak Cliff right now as the community comes together following the explosion that leveled the 1960s-era Clyde Apartments, at 409 E. 9th Street on May 27. The blast was so powerful that shop owners in Bishop Arts — over half a mile away — reported merchandise rattling off the walls and crashing to the floor. Within hours, the resulting five‑alarm fire — which drew at least 70 Dallas Fire Rescue units — had all but erased the 20+ unit complex. Most of Dallas has heard news reports of survivors’ accounts of harrowing escape. As of Friday evening, all residents have been accounted for.

But three neighbors lost their lives, including Sylvia Collins, a Dallas community activist, and a mother and her child.

Oak Cliff is rallying behind our neighbors, as we always do, and always will. The cause of the explosion is under investigation. Property ownership records, Atmos Energy, and city officials are all likely to be part of that review as residents await answers. The building’s owner has said that soil testing was being done by an engineering firm on behalf of a potential buyer.

The tragedy has also renewed concerns about aging infrastructure in older Dallas neighborhoods, including questions many residents have raised about gas-line safety.

And there is something more with the loss of these lives and property: many of us are revisiting the problem of our diminishing supply of safe, affordable housing in North Oak Cliff.

The Clyde was one of very few relatively affordable apartment options remaining in North Oak Cliff. While the exact number of displaced residents is estimated to be around 29 from this tragedy, we know that many of our neighbors struggle to find a comparable, affordable home in today’s market. As property values rise and redevelopment accelerates, older buildings like The Clyde are rare lifelines for hard-working families trying to stay rooted in this community.

Though we don’t yet know the cause, this and any tragedy of its kind highlights the immediate need for infrastructure investment. In fact, just two days before this fire, the City of Dallas Finance Committee rejected Atmos Energy’s request for a rate increase intended for pipeline replacement and safety upgrades. However, the full City Council approved it the following day.

This loss is about more than a single building — it’s about the very systems that keep our neighborhoods safe for families, and the accountability required when those systems fail. This is something I experience every day as a Realtor. Parts of North Oak Cliff are rapidly increasing in population due to several new market-rate developments — as a Cliffdweller myself (and yes, an agent!) of more than 20 years, I know we love having new friends discover our neighborhoods. But we need to make sure proper infrastructure is firmly in place to accommodate all of us and, at the very least, not put us in danger. 

As we grieve and wait for answers, we are also taking action as a community. Mission Oak Cliff, part of Cliff Temple Baptist Church, immediately stepped in to support survivors on the scene, and Adamson High School opened its doors as a reunification center. Social media is overflowing with concern and offers to help. Oak Cliff Ladies Club and Latin Ladies of Oak Cliff have united 10,000‑plus members to raise money. A silent auction is being planned by a local pub, and several independently owned businesses are acting as drop-off locations for goods. 

My HOPE IS that this tragedy, at least, can be a catalyst for a meaningful conversation about preserving the affordable housing we already have (which tends to proliferate in older neighborhoods) and seriously address Dallas’ aging infrastructure to keep our neighborhoods safe places to live.   

What I KNOW IS that Oak Cliff will continue to rally and lift neighbors that are suffering, strangers will become family, and we will push for the safer, stronger future our community deserves.  That’s what we do. That’s my hood.