Downtown Dallas Inc. (DDI) CEO Jennifer Scripps testified on April 28 before the Texas Senate’s Local Government Committee in opposition to Senate Bill 2594, claiming that crime in Downtown Dallas is considerably lower. However, she failed to address a recent DDI internal report that directly contradicts her statement.
When asked if crime was up or down in the last crime report, Scripps stated, “Year to date, crime in Downtown Dallas is considerably down—especially non-violent crime and violent crime I think is flat—it’s a very, very small number.”
However, weeks earlier, Scripps presented a report to the DDI Board showing the opposite.
According to the DDI Board presentation, downtown Dallas has experienced a 42% increase in violent crime, with the report noting that “Downtown has seen higher growth in crime than neighboring areas, particularly in violent crime … where other areas have seen decreases (citywide 14% decrease).”
Another slide highlights a drop in arrests amid rising crime and emphasizes that “repeat offenders make up [a] disproportionate share of arrests Downtown vs. rest of city.”
Despite testifying that downtown businesses are thriving, Scripps’ DDI Board presentation described a starkly different reality.
“Over the last few years, growth in crime and disorder downtown has coincided with loss in value of Downtown properties and slowed residential growth,” the report reads on page seven. “If this trend continues, cascading effects will further and rapidly erode value, impacting the City of Dallas far beyond its Downtown core. Improving public safety and quality of life is essential to our ability to incentivize residents and business Downtown.”
The internal report also detailed the flight of high-profile businesses from downtown, naming three major law firms relocating to Uptown and citing one stakeholder who warned that “AT&T would consider relocating if public safety issue downtown is not addressed.”
Additionally, the report highlighted the loss of airline contracts for downtown hotels due to homelessness concerns, describing the financial impact as a “$4M+ annual loss.”
The testimony and internal data appear irreconcilable, according to critics who argue the facts support the passing of SB 2594, which would reform the governance and funding of Public Improvement Districts (PIDs) like the one DDI oversees.
Bank of America is the latest corporate anchor to relocate from downtown to Uptown, reportedly almost tripling its rent to escape conditions that some have described as “untenable.”
Supporters of SB 2594 say the DDI presentation makes the case for urgent legislative action. One person familiar with the materials noted, “The entire presentation, which is DDI’s, supports the urgent need for SB 2594.”
Scripps did not respond to multiple DX requests for comment by publication.
SB 2594 is still under committee review.