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Fellow Cliff Dwellers,
The year 2024 is shaping up to be a meaningful one. Here are some key District 1 and citywide updates:
Crime Statistics for District 1 (2023). District 1 experienced a 6.92% overall crime reduction from 2022 to 2023. Check out the District by District Crime Summary HERE. While there is still work to be done, our methods are working and District 1 was the best performing district when it comes to overall crime reduction. I have a great relationship with Chief Eddie Garcia and with our men and women in blue, and plan on supporting continued public safety initiatives in 2024.
2024 Bond Discussion. This Friday, 1/19/2024, at 2pm, Councilmembers will be briefed by staff on recommended compromises between the bond amounts proposed by the Bond Task Force and by city staff. I continue to advocate and fight for bond dollars for the priorities you have been telling me about, including the North Oak Cliff Library, Martin Weiss Recreation Center, Jefferson Blvd Traffic Calming, Sylvan-Colorado Intersection, Downtown Elmwood, the Gateway Deck Park, improvements to the Dallas Zoo, and many more. I expect for Council to support increasing the bond capacity from $1.1B to $1.25B, which should make it easier to reach consensus on priorities across the city. You can watch the meeting HERE. And the briefing materials are HERE. On Friday, Council will also be briefed on updates to the Police & Fire Pension and City of Dallas Employee Pension funds.
Sprouts to Break Group in Late 2024. Recently, I have received a flood of emails asking when (and if) Sprouts will be opening in North Oak Cliff. Nothing has changed as least as far as I’m aware since the November 8, 2023 Oak Cliff Advocate article, here. At this point, the site owner has gone through a multi-year zoning process and completed its funding request to the Fort Worth Avenue TIF, and the City and community have done our parts to help the store become a reality for our neighborhood. It’s up to the builders to take the project home and get it done, subject to any leases or other obligations involving Elrod’s and other tenants presently on the site.
|  | Oak Cliff Skatepark $25,000 Donation. Earlier this week, Monty & Sarah Bennett generously donated $25,000 to the Oak Cliff Skatepark! This significant donation helped us reach the $100,000 private fundraising milestone, a big step closer to the $400,000 private raise goal, which will match city funding dollar for dollar, and help us build the first skate park south of the Trinity River and first public-private funded skate park in the City. Please join us at Birdie’s Eastside next week to help us reach our goal! | |
Each January, we celebrate the life and great work of Dr. Martin Luther King, JR. His passion inspires me to remember that everything we do for our community, no matter how small, has ripple effects. "If you can't fly then run, if you can't run then walk, if you can't walk then crawl, but whatever you do you have to keep moving forward.” (From MLK, JR’s April 1960 address at Spelman College). Thank you to my neighbors who serve in leadership capacities within Oak Cliff and who advocate for making District 1 an even better place to live. | |
Please join the Dallas Police Department for the 1st annual DPD Polar Plunge benefitting the Special Olympics of Texas. The event will be held on Saturday, January 27, 2024, at the Bachman Recreation Center located at 2750 Bachman Drive. Registration for the plunge can be done by clicking here, or in-person at the event between 8am- 9am. Plunges into the Bachman Recreation Center pool will follow registration. Immediately after the plunge, there will be a community event at the Bachman Recreation Center gym. Costumes are not required but make for a fun event! If you would prefer not to dive, please attend the event and/or consider making a donation using the same link. When you sign up or make a donation, click the button that credits the Dallas Police Department team. | |
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Free Tax Help Available at
Dallas Public Library
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In partnership with AARP and Community Tax Centers, 15 Dallas Public Library locations will be offering free tax filing assistance beginning Monday, January 22. Days and times vary and are subject to change. A complete and up-to-date listing is available on the library's website. | |
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On behalf of the Bishop Arts Theatre Center, you're invited to attend the 3rd annual banned books festival as they present THE SUM OF US ONE-ACT FESTIVAL, a collection of short plays by six local playwrights inspired by Heather McGhee's brilliant analysis, exploring the far-reaching costs of racism and the path to healing as a community. Prepare to be captivated by these powerful performances, followed by nightly talkbacks that foster meaningful conversations and a stronger sense of unity.
Made possible in part by Dallas Truth Racial Healing & Transformation. Click here for more information.
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2024 Homeless Point-In-Time (PIT) | The 2024 Homeless Point-In-Time (PIT) Count is coming up on Jan. 25, 2024 and our partners at Housing Forward need volunteers. To sign-up, click here. Volunteers are truly making a difference by participating in the count and contributing to their efforts to address homelessness in our community. Also needed are gender-neutral care packages to hand out to our unhoused neighbors during the Point-in-Time count. Individuals or organizations can donate assembled care packages by January 19, 2024. If you are interested in provided care packages, please complete this form. | |
Upcoming Meetings on Proposed Conservation District -
South Winnetka Heights
| Staff will be holding two neighborhood meetings with the South Winnetka Heights neighborhood in the coming weeks to review the DRAFT ordinance for the proposed Conservation District. Notices were mailed informing property owners within the proposed boundaries of the upcoming meetings to provide input on the DRAFT before bringing it to the City Plan Commission. Click the link below to review the DRAFT ordinance. | |
Dates: January 16 and 23
Location: Arts Mission Oak Cliff at 410 S. Windomere Avenue
Time: 6:00-7:30 pm
Topic: South Winnetka Heights proposed Conservation District – Final DRAFT
Website: South Winnetka Heights (dallascityhall.com)
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The Office of Homeless Solutions Give Responsibly campaign encourages donations to nonprofits serving our most vulnerable neighbors to end homelessness and reduce street charity. To help, residents can text 214-740-7886 with the word CARES. Residents will then receive a direct link to the DallasHomelessSolutions.com/get-involved, where they can Give Responsibly to help end homelessness.
Learn how you can be the solution by giving to nonprofit service providers directly. bit.ly/GiveResponsiblyDallas
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Download the application on your Android phone HERE or iPhone HERE | | | | |
