The Dallas City Council on Wednesday postponed a long-anticipated vote that would have rezoned parts of the West Oak Cliff neighborhood, following strong opposition from residents concerned about displacement and gentrification.
Dozens of residents packed the council chambers late Wednesday afternoon, many holding a press conference beforehand to voice their opposition to the proposed changes along the Hampton and Clarendon corridor.
Residents fear gentrification impact
“Sidelined,” “redlined,” and “forgotten” were among the words used by residents to describe the city’s proposed rezoning plan. Jerry Figueroa, owner of J&E Express Auto Service on Clarendon Drive, said the plan would disproportionately affect Latino-owned businesses and longtime residents.
“Now that we speak up, the city chooses to ignore us,” Figueroa said. “There’s no protection from the city to help businesses, landowners, or residents from price hikes or development speculation. We’ve seen what happened in Bishop Arts and West Dallas.”
City cites error, seeks feedback
The proposed zoning changes are part of the West Oak Cliff Area Plan, adopted in 2020, and aim to bring new residential development and improve walkability and traffic flow. However, a city representative said the vote was delayed due to an error on community reply forms and a desire to ensure the process is done correctly…