The City of Dallas is apparently having trouble demolishing a property it owns that has reportedly been taken over by squatters.
As previously reported by The Dallas Express, the former call center at 9999 Technology Blvd. came into possession of the City in July 0f 2023.
“People are stealing stuff from the inside, hauling off AC units and office equipment,” an individual who works next door to the property told DX back in March. “People park in our employee lot because it’s not fenced in and hop over to the next property. They’ve done unknown things in there, with people always running in and out.”
“An unknown number of people are squatting in there,” the source had said. “The building and premises are completely unsecured. They have no barrier to the parking lots — nothing. I left a 311 request, and it said they would update it to involve a police report. But it’s gotten progressively worse over the last three months.”
Demolition of the property, however, appears to be moving at a snail’s pace.
Here’s some of what Fox 4 KDFW reported on the issue:
For the second time this summer, the City of Dallas is facing questions about allowing its own property to become a nuisance.
The city is in the process of demolishing a Northwest Dallas office building it purchased, but then allowed to be taken over by squatters.
It took a newspaper article shining a spotlight on the graffiti, litter and squatters at the city-owned property at 9999 Technology Boulevard to get it in gear.
“Nothing would have happened if not for that article,” said Dallas City Councilwoman Cara Mendelsohn.
Even now, the demolition is moving slowly.
Dallas City Council chair Jesse Moreno questioned why it took the city so long.
“I am looking at an email from June 17 that says that the demo permit has been applied for, and the intent is to knock it down within the month,” he said. “So I’m still hearing that the building is still not completely demolished.”