Bexar Street Connection Association leaders ask the City for crime help and more parking restrictions 

T.R. Hoover CDC hosted a community meeting on Aug. 8 with City of Dallas services and Bexar Street Connection Association block captains to address concerns about persistent crime, sanitation and parking.

• Participants:
  • Bexar Street Storefront NPO (Southeast Division)
  • City of Dallas departments: Code Compliance, Sanitation Services, and Transportation (Parking Management and Enforcement)

Bexar Street Storefront Neighborhood Police Officers:
Dallas police told neighbors crime has decreased in the area — specifically family violence, robbery, auto theft, and burglary. However, neighbors say they are still concerned about random shootings and the crowd that gathers under the Bexar Clock Tower.

Sector 340 Beat MapDownload

Officers proposed that neighbors provide specific addresses for alleged shooters. Sherri Mixon, chief executive director of T.R. Hoover CDC, suggested the neighborhood look into acquiring video doorbells to help record shootings without endangering the lives of seniors. The video doorbells require internet access, which could be an additional cost to some residents. Mixon is unsure how they would pay for this, and mentioned looking into grant funding, sponsorhips or donations as an option.

Code Compliance:
The City of Dallas code compliance officers want neighbors to provide their own contact information when reporting code violations. Neighbors prefer anonymity because they are afraid of retribution.

Mixon suggested T.R. Hoover could operate as a centralized communication network to follow up on code violations, allowing neighbors to remain anonymous. Code compliance officers say they are willing to collaborate. 

City of Dallas Sanitation Services:
Neighbors want better education on trash and brush schedules, and proper use of trash bags. Also, residents propose that the sanitation department partners with T.R. Hoover for trash to be picked up after events. Neighbors want accountability. They pointed out that a previous promise from Code Compliance to clean up after the Christmas in July event on July 25 did not happen.

Parking Management and Enforcement:

Neighbors are tired of unused vehicles crowding their streets. They say the vehicles are impacting trash pick up and general traffic. They are hoping a new ordinance that took effect this week, Ordinance 24-2173, will make a difference. Drivers can now be fined up to $500 for parking improperly registered vehicles in the city. 

Neighbors say they would like to see more regulations beyond the new ordinance. They ask that the city consider a Resident Parking Only Program to manage parking congestion. 

“The Resident Parking Only is available to specific neighborhoods that are adjacent to a commercial district or an entertainment district that are adjacent to an area where they might have overflow parking into their neighborhoods because of the activity on the major streets around,” says Wendy Nalls, City of Dallas parking instructor administrator.

Nalls says she will follow up on the likelihood of implementing the Resident Parking Only Program. She is hoping the new ordinance, 24-2173, will make enough of a difference for neighbors before considering the Resident Parking Only Program.