Chad West

Dallas Council Balks at Staff Suggestion to Require Electric Vehicle Wiring in Newly Built Homes

By April Towery / April 19, 2023 /

A proposed requirement for builders to create “electric vehicle-ready” space when constructing new homes — thus passing a cost of about $800 to homebuyers who might never purchase an electric vehicle — was amended by the Dallas City Council in an effort to remain committed to its goal of providing affordable housing.  A change to…

For Dallas City Council District 1, Community Engagement is The Key to 17 Percent Drop in Crime

By April Towery / April 17, 2023 /

Few people are willing to say it out loud, but in the early 1990s, when some of today’s city leaders were in high school, Oak Cliff was a place where parents told their children not to hang out after dark.  Now the area covered by Dallas City Council District 1 — including North Oak Cliff…

Dallas City Council, Staff Spars Over ‘Not in My Backyard’ Mentality as Housing Policy Passes 12-2

By April Towery / April 12, 2023 /

On Wednesday, the Dallas City Council approved a 10-year housing policy over the objections of a council member who equated the lack of public engagement to “craziness” and pointed to flaws in the plan that she alleged exacerbate racial issues and ignore poverty.  The Dallas Housing Policy 2033 and a separate housing resource catalog replace…

Dallas City Council Sets Goals For 2023; Public Safety And Housing Are Among Top Priorities

By April Towery / April 6, 2023 /

Twelve of the 14 Dallas City Council members are vying to hold onto their seats in the May 6 election, but Wednesday offered a rare opportunity for the group to set goals and talk about the future away from the horseshoe and a large public audience.  A “Vision Alignment Session” was held at Thanks-Giving Square,…

Dallas City Manager Says Short-Term Rental Ordinance Isn’t Ready For a Council Vote

By April Towery / April 4, 2023 /

The Dallas City Council spent more than seven hours Tuesday hearing testimony and debating the merits of banning or regulating short-term rentals in residential areas, but a draft proposed ordinance still isn’t “ready for prime time,” according to City Manager T.C. Broadnax. “There’s still a lot of ambiguity in the data and council consensus,” Broadnax…