Over 200 members from the Dallas Code Compliance Department spent last Wednesday morning in the Oak Cliff neighborhood of southern Dallas, targeting over 4,000 homes to increase awareness about and emphasize adhering to city regulations.
According to Compliance Officer Adrian Allen, The All Hands on Deck Community Initiative was designed to improve the community and change the public’s perception of the department.
“Today, we’re engaging with the community,” said Allen. “A lot of times, Code officers get a bad rap. We’re trying to change that perception.”
The officers passed out educational and informational literature designed to help residents understand common code violations and how to avoid them. Also among the documents distributed was information about home repair assistance for senior citizens.
Several neighborhood residents who spoke to NBC DFW applauded the move and mentioned complaints they would like to see rectified by the department.
Resident Joe Ramos stated that a nearby auto repair shop was known to park vehicles along the street. “And the next thing you know, there are cars on both sides. It’s hard to get in and out,” he said.
Other residents stated that landlords of nearby apartment buildings were not locals and therefore were not as invested in maintaining their properties and the surrounding neighborhood.
During the event, officers said the most common complaints were litter, improper yard maintenance, cars parked illegally, junk cars cluttering up neighborhoods, and illegal dumping of items.
An animal control officer also spoke to residents as part of the initiative, as unleashed dogs are quite common in the city. That officer rescued at least one injured dog during the event.
Dallas Code Compliance maintains the 311 hotline for area residents to report a variety of issues and concerns to the department, as well as a website and a mobile app.
“We know that some people don’t like to call 311 because they don’t like to have problems with their neighbors,” said Compliance Officer Patrick Parker. “But we don’t look at it that way. We love what we do. We have a passion for keeping our city clean, healthy, and safe.”
The department’s website offers rental tools and other resources for qualifying organizations that want to help improve communities in the Dallas area.