Dallas City Council

Rental ‘Inflation Pandemic’ Prompts Overhaul of Dallas Eviction Ordinance

By April Towery / October 20, 2022 /

The rent is too damn high.  And renters who can’t make their monthly payments are likely to be evicted, which causes a whole new set of problems contributing to Dallas’s homeless rate.  The Dallas City Council heard Wednesday from officials with Child Poverty Action Lab, who said more than 19,000 evictions have been filed in…

Game Changer: West Oak Cliff Area Plan Could Put Residents in Zoning Driver’s Seat

By April Towery / October 10, 2022 /

Dallas is finally paying attention to West Oak Cliff. The City Plan Commission last month unanimously approved the West Oak Cliff Area Plan — a guide to drive new development while protecting current residents.  It actually does a lot more than that. For example, it encourages accessory dwelling units to provide more choices for missing-middle…

Budget Talks Continue as Dallas Adds 10 Code Officers to Address Apartment Violations

By April Towery / September 24, 2022 /

09/25 This story has been updated. Initially we said CM Tennell Atkins did not want to reduce the new city tax rate beyond the proposed 3-cent decrease; another CM reminded us that was inaccurate. Dallas City Council members deferred adoption of the city’s $4.51 billion budget Wednesday but approved several amendments, including an allocation to…

Could Bank of America’s Zero-Down Mortgage Program Boost Homeownership in Dallas’ Historically Black And Hispanic Neighborhoods?

By April Towery / September 9, 2022 /

Dallas could be making some headway toward its goal of providing mixed-income housing throughout the city thanks to a program from Bank of America. The program, which offers no down payment home loans for first-time homebuyers in Black and Hispanic neighborhoods, is one of the first of its kind.  Such initiatives were identified in the…

Will Dallas’ Racial Equity Plan Actually Work to Create Affordable Housing?

By April Towery / September 1, 2022 /

In an effort to put policy behind its goals of creating affordable housing and fixing problems in neglected and poor neighborhoods, the Dallas City Council recently adopted a Racial Equity Plan.  One council member, however, is skeptical about the document’s ability to bring positive change to the whole city.  The 75-page Racial Equity Plan was…