A coalition of Dallas homeowners is opposing the city’s sanitation department plan to phase out alley trash collection, arguing that the change would disrupt decades of established neighborhood infrastructure and disproportionately affect thousands of residents.
More than 10,000 signatures have been added to a Change.org petition from The Keep Alley Trash Homeowners Coalition.
The coalition and its three-month-old petition oppose a scheduled January 19, 2026, transition that would move trash pickup for about 30,000 households from alleys to the front of their properties.
Sanitation officials say the move is necessary to improve worker safety and to reduce the higher costs associated with alley routes.
Opponents argue the plan ignores Dallas’ long-standing alleyway infrastructure and could leave seniors, disabled residents, and others struggling to move heavy trash bins to the curb.
“At 91 years of age, I am not physically able to move my cans to the front of my house,” one Dallas resident named Irma wrote on Change.org.
Councilmembers Gay Donnell Willis and Paula Blackmon, who authored a September 9 memo to City Manager Kimberly Bizor Tolbert, acknowledged the city’s concerns but urged more flexibility. They recommended delaying the rollout, developing a compliance checklist for alleys, and considering a two-tier cost model allowing homeowners to pay more to keep alley service.
“By pairing compliance with choice, we can resolve this decades-long issue in a way that protects sanitation workers, addresses costs transparently, and ensures fairness for our residents,” the memo said.
The coalition responded with its own “addendum,” questioning the department’s data on worker safety and property damage and calling on city officials to release more detailed information. The group also asked why specially designed trucks built for tight alley service are not being deployed and pressed the city on whether it has properly maintained alleys under its control.
Critics also say curbside pickup could create new hazards for pedestrians in neighborhoods without sidewalks and increase liability for the city. Homeowners warn they will be forced to make costly modifications to their yards and fences to comply with the change.
The Sanitation Department maintains that alleys pose higher risks and costs.
“Crews face daily risks from extreme weather, overhead utility lines, utility poles, gas meters, and unpredictable alley conditions, including ruts and other obstructions. These conditions have also caused fires resulting in total losses of trucks, injuries to personnel, and near misses for electrocution,” Director Clifton Gillespie said at a June 2024 council briefing.
He has also indicated that the department will continue to modernize service while keeping worker safety at the forefront.
The City Council does not need to vote on the change, though several members have pressed for a delay while alternatives are explored. The coalition said it intends to keep organizing residents, speaking at council meetings, and pushing for answers from city officials in the months ahead.
“We look forward to collaborating with the City to find solutions for the Sanitation Department’s safety and efficiency concerns while preserving alley service for homeowners,” the group said in a press release.