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The Dallas Dirt podcast with Candy Evans takes you inside the real estate news stories you’ll find daily on CandysDirt.com and beyond, giving you more insight, juicier details, and the inside scoop from one of Dallas’ most well-connected real estate personalities.
Speaker: This is Dallas Dirt.
I'm your host, April Towery,
and I'm here today with District
9 Councilwoman Paula Blackman.
Thank you for being here with us.
Speaker 3: Thank you for having me.
Speaker: What's going on at City Hall?
Speaker 3: What day is today?
It's a Tuesday.
So that means we're preparing
for a council meeting tomorrow.
Speaker: Okay, got some budget hearings.
Got some budget
Speaker 3: hearings, charter review.
Lots going on.
We're working through pension.
We had our bond election,
looking for a new city manager.
So pick a day and there's a topic.
Speaker: Right, you're busy.
Very busy.
You mentioned the bond election.
So and all ten propositions were passed.
Speaker 3: Thank you to the voters.
Appreciate the support and the confidence
that you have in us to get the job done.
Speaker: So what does that mean
for D9 and for White Rock Lake
Speaker 3: specifically?
Dredge, baby, dredge.
Okay.
So we have $20 million in the parks
prop, and that will leverage federal
funding from our partners in Washington
to create a plan to dredge White Rock
Lake to recreational depths that that
that will help maintain the health
and the ecosystems of the lake.
We also have plenty of park money
for new playgrounds and trails.
We have money for our
streets that need fixing.
We have some homeless money.
We have encampments throughout the whole
district, and so we'll be leveraging that
to help with encampments that are around.
We have money for the Bathhouse Cultural
and Arts Center that's at White Rock Lake.
So there's a lot happening
for D9 in this area.
Speaker: Okay, that's exciting.
I remember you coming to a council
meeting just covered in trash one day.
Yeah,
Speaker 3: that was, we were having a
contract that was looking at the dredging
situation and it was Christmas thing
that we do, and I thought, you know
what, kill two birds with one stone.
No, no, no, no, don't kill
two birds with one stone.
That's ADYP.
It was a political statement.
It was not meant.
With the ugly Christmas photos.
Yeah, because, you know, we have precious
eaglets and eagles at White Rock Lake.
So anyway, so I, we, we created a
beaver costume that was the Santa
and put trash all over it because
if you've ever seen White Rock Lake
after a rain, it's full of trash.
Speaker: What's the latest on
the issue with the sewage spill?
Speaker 3: They're
investigating it at the state.
And so the latest on that
is it's at the state level.
But we're hoping that the North Texas
Water District will be looking at
ways to maintain their infrastructure.
And so, and, and making sure that
we don't get those spillages again.
Speaker: Right.
Okay.
Well, transitioning to your
comprehensive land use plan.
Yes ma'am.
Yes.
You had a community meeting.
And how did that go?
Speaker 3: We had about 150 in attendance.
We maintained a level of decorum
that I felt gave me some insight
on what is happening and what
is needed for a comp plan.
We have a comp plan already.
And so this is just now to update it and
to make it relevant into our Ecosystem
of how we're going to grow as a city.
And I've created an advisory group
to dive into each of the sections and
really understand and we know that the
community residential is the one that
is really getting everybody worked up
on, but we're also going to look at the
EJ, the environmental justice piece,
and we're going to look at the urban
core and all the ones because I think in
order to understand how it affects East
Dallas in our part of the world, you need
to understand the whole macro system.
And so the question that's been posed
to me is, what are the benefits to
our district to our area of town?
And, you know, the environmental
justice is important, but it's also to
looking at, "What does this mean for
how our area develops and what does this
mean for our transportation systems?"
Because, you know, land use
and transportation systems
should go hand in glove.
So I'm on a journey myself to understand
it and to really look at things.
in a micro way, but how does
it affect us in a macro way?
Speaker: And what is the housing
mix like in district nine?
Speaker 3: It's interesting you ask
because I I'm on search for a house.
We sold our house that
we raised our kids in.
And so we're renting right now.
And so we want a smaller you know,
house with no yard and maybe more of
a walkable connected community not so
much just a single family with a yard
and, and all that comes with that.
And so there's, it's, so we're out looking
and so it is predominantly single family.
Very few townhomes very few condos and the
condos that are there are like two story.
I don't think they even
get up to three story.
You have the village, which is a,
you know, a more of a rental space.
And then you go out to the far, far
You know, far east, and you have very
much like Casa Linda, which is the
one acres, and then you have the R25,
which is the smaller plot for the homes
that were built right after the war.
So it is, it is, it's diverse in
the single family, but they're
predominantly single family.
Speaker: Do you, do your residents
want more of a mix or more multifamily?
Speaker 3: I think they want
more of a, I want, I think
they like, The single family.
I mean, yeah, but I do think that
there is a conversation around how
do we grow corridors because we have
like Northwest Highway Garland Road,
Ferguson Road, where those corridors
could probably do a mix of a of like
a townhome or a duplex type community.
I know we have some.
I think you covered a couple
of developments that are
going along that corridor.
And so I do think that the corridors
are an opportunity for discussion.
I don't think the infill is, is much
because it is predominantly single family.
And which is why I took my name
off the memo, because it was
causing a lot of confusion.
So we'll just go there.
And so it was causing,
you know, confusion.
And it was, it was, we wanted to
hear, or we wanted to hear from
staff how, if we wanted to do this,
what it, how it would look like.
And I think it was just too much
confusion on what that meant.
And so it was, I just
felt like, you know what?
It's sitting here.
Nobody knows really what it's doing.
Let's just put it to bed.
And so that's why I removed my name.
Speaker: So this is a five
signature memo that Chad West filed.
You put your name on the memo.
I did.
Jaynie Schultz put her name on the memo.
She did.
And the both of you withdrew.
Correct.
Recently, even after the
conversation had already
Speaker 3: happened.
Speaker: Got it.
Well, there's so much to talk about.
You mentioned homelessness in your
neighborhood in the encampments.
Where are you on this conversation?
Have you been on these trips
to Atlanta and Los Angeles?
I went to
Speaker 3: Los Angeles.
Okay.
Where am I in all this?
I, I want to go to Houston because
Houston right now is what everybody is
saying is really how the homelessness
housing first model needs to be addressed.
I've been to Haven of Hope in San
Antonio, which is a robust campus
setting for homeless services.
And so the, the issue is.
If we're doing a housing first
model, then how do we provide
housing for those in need of housing?
And I, LA, I mean, the pallet
homes is, is an option.
Sanctioned encampments are an option.
But do they work, and is it a solution,
a long term solution for a problem
that is plaguing all parts of our city?
And so I'm still, my jury is still out.
Okay, and that's the bottom line.
But I am one of the two districts that
doesn't have a homeless service or a
homeless activity in its district, which
is why I allocated some money towards
that, because once we find whatever
that is in our community, then we can
start moving towards that because we do
have the encampments and it is there.
They're happening all over.
I did see L.
A.
You know, we went through Skid Row.
And to me, that's not an option.
I mean, that is just not an option.
And we need to figure out how
to keep that from happening.
And you can see the makings
of it across the city.
But homelessness is not a
criminal activity in itself.
And so, we need to, as a city, work
together to really bring more units.
online at all price levels.
And I think that's, and that's how
you get your comp plan related to
homelessness, related to transportation,
related to affordable housing and all
of that is the bottom line is you need
housing, all types at all price levels.
And quality housing.
I'm more interested in the ownership
perspective but that's probably
another segment for another podcast.
Speaker: Well, it leads me to, you've
mentioned that you have three sons.
I do.
And and you think about when you're,
when you're looking at these land
use documents, when you're making
zoning decisions, you're thinking
about the future generations,
having your boys being able to
have a place where they can live.
Speaker 3: And I opened that, that
scenario or that, that's what I'm
looking this through the comp plan.
I'm looking at that through that lens.
I have a 27 year old.
He is pretty young.
Probably going to be
getting married soon, right?
And starting his family.
He's bought a condo and he
wants to live in the community
he grew up in.
You know we raised our three boys there
and he Coaches at his middle school.
And so He wants to come back, but
I don't know how he can afford it.
And he's a professional and that's
who you want living in your community.
And so the question is, is you want
them as a homeowner because they're
less likely to leave versus as a renter
where their year is up and they're gone.
And so, that's the important part of this
conversation that I think needs to be had.
How do we get home ownership?
Because we are a renter city.
And so how do we partner with
developers, with financial institutions,
nonprofits to bring back or bring,
bring the housing for home ownership.
Speaker: That's lot going on.
Speaker 3: You know, and it's
never, it's never an easy task.
I mean, if it was easy,
it'd already been done.
Speaker: Right, and you can't
you can't make everyone happy,
but I think that you can.
Have some thoughtful conversations
and listen to what people have to say.
True, true, true.
And
Speaker 3: I think that is what brings
about, like, problem solving, right?
Is to sit down, have the conversations,
have people be honest about
what is what is bothering them.
Like what really what is bothering
them and work through it and not take
it personal a lot of emotions come in
these conversations and what we need
to do is just, have these discussions
and get to the issue of, you know,
this is the one thing that bothers me.
Okay, then how do we fix it?
Speaker: Well, I think you have
a reputation for being responsive
and, and I think that There
has been some misinformation.
So how do you go about sort of educating
them when there's a false narrative?
Speaker 3: I have a problem with telling
people that, , that there is a falseness
into that, that statement, like, you
know, when we were doing the shoreline.
Do you remember that?
And we talked about traffic coming out of
of the development and it would go into
the neighborhood, but it wouldn't because
it's locked that can't go back into it.
It all has to come out on Garland road.
So I mean, if there's facts involved
and it truly is backing up the facts
that exist, then I don't mind saying,
okay, you know, that that that
statement It may not be all true.
So let me, let me, I see this opportunity
to educate, to actually say, look at it
this way, or this is the actuality of it.
And I think it comes from raising
three boys, you know, it's because
they can sometimes bring this.
It's a big plan, right?
We're going to do this, this, and
this, and it's like, yeah, but
you don't have a driver's license.
You know?
And it's like, so how are
you going to get there?
You've got to ask me.
You know?
And so, you kind of bust the bubble and
then you go, okay, but let's come back.
What can we do?
Let's find out.
Okay.
Your dad can do this and
then somebody can come pick.
So, and, and so it's okay to have people
have these notions in this information,
but then to say, you know what?
It's not all correct.
Let's, let's really get
into the, , the details.
Speaker: So you mentioned the
shoreline project and that has long
since gone through CPC and council.
What is, what is the status?
They
Speaker 3: have They're taking down
, the church the community was worried
that some of the trees that they had
said they were going to keep had been
taken down, but that was not the case.
The arborist went down there.
They're working and following
the plan just like it is.
And, The trees, the, so it backs
up, , into a neighborhood and there
was a road or a street that had like,
a dozen houses and they were concerned
with sight lines and drainage and all
those things that are valid concerns.
And what we did is reoriented
the development so that way
and it's, I think, six stories.
And so the sight lines going
down into the neighborhood into
their homes were was valid.
And so we reoriented it so that way there
was some townhomes that were blocking
views and and then trees and, and then
working on the drainage situation.
So shoreline is a mixed income 50% 50
percent of the units are 80 percent AMI.
So it's for our teachers, our
firefighters, our, our young
professionals, if you will.
Because as you know, pricing, housing
prices are crazy in East Dallas.
Speaker: Yeah, and that was one of
the first, if not the first, Public
Facility Corporation projects.
It was, yeah,
Speaker 3: one of the
handfuls that came through.
Okay,
Speaker: and, and it was really before
they got controversial, I think.
It
Speaker 3: was right when they did.
Okay.
And that was how I felt.
Speaker: And we were just starting
to familiarize ourselves with
what this was, and can you speak
a little bit to what that means?
So a
Speaker 3: PFC is a Public Facilities
Corporation, and the city owns the land
in which the development is built on.
And we partner with a developer to do
the there's a lot of brick and mortar
sticks and concrete and all the building.
And what it does is it keeps taxes low.
Therefore, we can give a
better there could be a better
rent paid by the individual.
And the interesting part of this
is the, Even though the developer
is taking all the risk, the city
has ownership with the developer.
So when it, when the developer
pays us money, and it's not free,
they actually give us a check
and they give us multiple checks.
And it goes back into the fund
for them to go and move into build
other ones throughout the city.
But what is interesting is that
at the end of it, 75 years.
Sometimes it's 95.
It depends.
What happens is then the city in
any time before then to the city
can actually retain ownership.
So that way we can make sure
that there is affordable units
in a certain part of town.
So it's it's a it's not a new model.
Other parts of Texas have been
using it, but we've been using
it probably in the last 2 years.
Speaker: And what is.
What is controversial about it is
this narrative that it takes the
property off the tax rolls And in some
Speaker 3: cases, , in this
case it was already a church, so
it was never on the tax rolls.
And a lot of those, that's what we're
looking at is maybe if it's city owned
land or , there's different models.
But there are some where it was
just a vacant piece of land.
So it really wasn't a lot of
taxes that was being taken off.
But in my case, Shoreline was never
a, it was really never on the books.
Speaker: Wasn't contributing to the, yeah.
Also an argument has been made,
A, that developers aren't building
this kind of housing for free.
And also there's a need
for that in District 9.
There's need for mixed income housing.
Speaker 3: Yes.
I mean, I don't know.
You can't, I mean, nothing's
free anymore, April.
I mean, People need to pay their
bills too, and materials aren't free.
And I don't want to, I, I as a city
don't want to be in the development.
I'd rather be in the more like the policy
making and the financing and the direction
versus who's, you know, being out there
hammering and laying the concrete.
So, I think and I'm hoping that,
There is a tipping point, right?
There is a point where you've,
you've, you've saturated the market.
You can't, you shouldn't do it anymore.
But until that, I think
this model is, is working.
I just hope that we, we do it very,
I hope that we're doing it in a way
that is going to make, is going to get
us to the place that we need to be.
Speaker: Yeah.
And there were some concerns about
traffic and this is near Garland Road.
So we'll segue into, you have
partnered with Chief Garcia.
I have.
And tell me what's going on with that.
Speaker 3: So, we did a PSA.
He and I did a PSA and you
can find it on my website.
And what we found was, And what
we've heard from our constituents
and from residents is people
are driving out of control.
It's a 35 and they're going 50.
And you know, it's Abrams, it's
Mockingbird, it's Northwest Highway, it's
Garland Road, it's Ferguson, it's Easton.
Like, there is people driving very fast.
And so, we just put out a PSA to
remind people that just because
you can doesn't mean you should.
Right?
Don't drive as fast as you think
you should be driving or can drive
because it's an open six lane highway.
But, you know, the city of Dallas is
doing what we can to make sure that those
highways are adequate for the capacity.
And in some cases, it's too much, which
invites that kind of traffic flow.
And so we put out a PSA that is just
reminding, you know, people to stay home.
slow down, that we are doing everything
we can to undo that capacity and to
make it more you know, more contained
still allowing for traffic to flow, but
to allow for pedestrians and more micro
mobility and in some connective places.
And so, I've just said, Hey,
guys, You know, be, be careful.
You know, you need to slow down.
I was on Easton Road going a 35 and I
got the most horrible looks because I was
not going at least 40, you know, and I,
and it's like, this is our neighborhoods.
These are our communities.
These are our kids playing.
These are our cyclists going to the lake.
And so, you know, everybody
just needs to slow down.
Speaker: And there have been
some fatalities in your district.
Unfortunately,
Speaker 3: yes.
Speaker: So how will this Vision
Zero plan address some of that?
Speaker 3: The Vision Zero plan
will be looking at all those things.
Well, and you have to understand,
too, I've got three state highways.
I've got Garland Road, Buckner,
and Northwest Highway that
are all state highways.
So
Speaker: City of Dallas can't touch those.
Speaker 3: We cannot touch those
in the sense of reducing capacity.
Okay.
But we're working with TxDOT.
They've, they've helped us on Garland Road
quite a bit, and we're looking at speeding
and And I would love to figure out some
capacity reduction in those places.
And that would, I think, take
a literally an act of Congress.
But what we're doing is on Ferguson Road
on Easton, we are looking to do pedestrian
beacons, more time signals looking at are
the signals placed in the proper places.
So that way, you know, we, we can.
cause traffic to slow down and even stop.
And so we we're just working to make sure
that we don't have any more fatalities and
that people are driving the speed limit.
And when people want to walk
their dog and cross the street,
they have a safe place to do it.
Or if they're going to school you
know, there's a lot of places.
There's places on Ferguson Road
where their schools and we just need
to make sure that people can get to
and where they want to go safely.
Speaker: All right.
Well, you've got a city
manager search underway.
How is how is that going?
How is the interim doing?
And what would you like to
see in the next city manager?
Speaker 3: So, Kim Tolbert is our interim
and she did put out her 100 year plan.
100 year.
Oh, my gosh.
100 100 day plan.
which I find it refreshing.
I like to see where we're going.
And I saw it as I do see it as a road map.
I mean, they just talked about
it Chief Garcia thinks that if we
lifted tattoos and beards, we could
probably recruit more officers.
And that was on her plan.
So, you know, I'm seeing some things
that what it's showing me is that
she went and talk to folks and say,
How can I help you get your job done?
better, bigger, better, faster, stronger.
And she listened and she put in
a plan and she's working with
staff to bring those changes.
So, I would like to see somebody that
has a road map that gives us with
us in hand, not just saying this is
what we need to achieve, but really
bringing us all together as a city,
as a council, as a organization and
saying what do we want to be when
we grow up and how do we get there?
And that's a big visioning task.
And I don't know if we could do it now,
given all the there's a lot of noise.
You know, with all this,
like we have a lot going on.
And so I don't want to call it
noise, but there's a lot going on.
And sometimes the system
can only bear so much.
And so, I would love to see somebody who
is that hub to bring everybody together.
to find a common North Star for
us all to go to, because it drives
me nuts when you're budgeting,
when you're planning, when you're
trying to pass bonds or whatever.
And it is and we really don't have a
clear understanding of our North Star.
Speaker: Okay.
Well, that's an exciting time.
And final thoughts, what what are
your priorities for the budget?
Speaker 3: Hmm.
The budget.
Well, we have a pension issue.
And my priorities is to make sure that
we meet those obligations that we made
and not strap future councils for that.
So with that in mind, it really kind of
develops a whole budget because there's
going to be some hard discussions
to be had in decisions to be made.
We probably need to, we do need to check
and see what is the, the role of city
government and are we meeting that role?
And if we're not, then why not?
And how do we get there?
And then start taking the things off that
probably doesn't, doesn't, and that's the
hard, those are the hard decisions because
a lot of those have been instituted
in the organization for a while.
So, my priorities for budget is
just to make sure that we can.
meet our obligations, provide services
to our constituents and the homeowner,
the property owner and making sure
that we keep it at a reasonable rate.
So that's that's a huge equation, right?
And which is why that I'm literally
looking under every cushion.
Because I mean, if we don't
ask the question, then how
can we say then we tried?
Speaker: Well, looking forward
to seeing how that shakes out.
All for this episode of Dallas Dirt.
Thank you to Councilmember Blackmon,
and we will see you next time.