The Brief
- Dallas reports a 45% increase in homeless encampment complaints to 311 since 2021, reaching 11,000 in 2024.
- City council members and businesses are questioning the effectiveness of the city’s response, claiming policies for clearing encampments aren’t being followed.
- Business owners highlight concerns about fires at encampments, expressing frustration over perceived “half-hearted” cleanups and lack of sustained action by the city.
DALLAS – The city of Dallas says complaints about homeless encampments are up 45 percent in the last few years.
City staff outlined a process to deal with the encampments, but council members and Dallas businesses say the process isn’t being followed.
Homeless encampment complaints
By the numbers:
On Tuesday, Kevin Oden, the director of the newly-established Department of Emergency Management and Crisis Response, told city council members were told that complaints about homeless encampments to the city’s 311 service line have climbed in recent years.…