Chad West

Councilwoman Blackmon Playing Budget Jenga to Help Save Skillman Southwestern Library 

By April Towery / September 5, 2024 /

The Dallas City Council is poised to adopt a $4.97 billion budget this month, and elected officials introduced amendments Wednesday to set priorities that were not included in the city manager’s original proposal.  District 9 Councilwoman Paula Blackmon, who represents White Rock Lake and East Dallas, asked to reduce the Office of Economic Development’s transfer…

Dallas Housing Policy 2033 Focuses on Action But Not Data

By April Towery / September 2, 2024 /

How does the Mark Twain quote go? “There are three kinds of lies: lies, damned lies, and statistics.” The City of Dallas loves a good survey and sky-is-falling data, but when the numbers don’t support the narrative of a particular individual or advocacy group, they’re quickly dismissed. And to be fair, there’s also probably another survey…

Dallas Council Members West, Mendelsohn Agree to Disagree on Public Facility Corporation 

By April Towery / August 28, 2024 /

Editor’s Note: This story was updated Aug. 29 to include a statement from Child Poverty Action Lab Chief of Housing Ashley Flores. If District 1 Dallas City Councilman Chad West was hoping for full support of Public Facility Corporation projects as a mechanism for providing much-needed multifamily workforce housing, he is probably disappointed.  Several months…

Preservationists Win First Steps to Saving Oak Cliff United Methodist Church

By Karen Eubank / August 22, 2024 /

Saving historic buildings like the Oak Cliff United Methodist Church requires a head for business, a depth of experience, and a tenacity to persevere in the face of great adversity. But what it requires, more than anything, is heart.  You must have a heart for preservation because, to put it plainly, it’s hard. Fortunately, Dallas…

City Hall Roundup: Dallas Finalizes Ballot for November 5 Charter Amendment Election 

By April Towery / August 18, 2024 /

Editor’s Note: Several days after this story was published, The Dallas Morning News reported that “a supporter of proposed city charter changes pushed by nonprofit Dallas Hero is suing the city and most of the City Council, alleging they violated the Constitution by adding overriding amendment proposals.” Twenty-one proposed changes to the Dallas city charter…