Dallas City Council member Paula Blackmon has formally requested an investigation into a potential violation of the Texas Open Meetings Act regarding a meeting on September 23. The meeting in question involved city officials discussing proposals to relocate The Bridge, a homeless service provider, from downtown Dallas to a facility at the Dallas Executive Airport.
Blackmon’s request was directed to Dallas County District Attorney John Creuzot, who has not yet indicated whether he will pursue an investigation. “Our office does not comment on matters that may or may not be under investigation,” stated Claire Crouch, a spokesperson for the DA’s office.
Along with Council member Adam Bazaldua, Blackmon claims that four out of the seven members of the Housing and Homelessness Solutions Committee created a quorum to conduct public business without proper notification. The council members involved in this alleged quorum include Cara Mendelsohn, Lorie Blair, Jesse Moreno, and Zarin Gracey.
In a joint statement, Blackmon and Bazaldua emphasized the public’s right to participate openly in decision-making processes, especially concerning critical issues like homelessness. They articulated their concerns that discussions occurred in private rather than in public view.
Footage shared with The Dallas Morning News captured a moment when Blackmon and Bazaldua approached Mendelsohn’s office. In the video, Bazaldua questioned Mendelsohn about the presence of a quorum in her office, to which she denied awareness of everyone present being part of the committee.
As the chair of the housing group, Mendelsohn later clarified that she had not realized that those invited to the meeting were committee members. This raises questions about her understanding of what constitutes a legitimate meeting under the state’s guidelines.
According to the Texas Open Meetings Act handbook, a committee may not be subject to the open meetings law if it is merely making recommendations rather than final decisions typically ratified by the City Council. Austin-based open government expert Bill Aleshire commented that if the committee is strictly advisory and not involved in decision-making, the law may not be applicable.
The Housing and Homelessness Solutions Committee is responsible for discovering ways to minimize regulatory hurdles to housing development and developing policies to tackle persistent challenges related to housing and homelessness. These recommendations ultimately go to the full City Council for ratification.
In a follow-up to the meeting, Mendelsohn clarified that there had been no deliberations, votes, or agreements made during that session. She described it as a common occurrence for council members to meet with external parties to discuss various matters.
However, Aleshire expressed that even pitches made by third parties to a group of council members could still be construed as receiving information relevant to city business. This further complicates the matter of whether the Open Meetings Act was violated.
Mendelsohn referred to Aleshire’s earlier comments to support her position that there were no violations of the Act. However, Aleshire clarified that his comments did not confirm this; the nature of the housing committee’s role—whether it is merely advisory or engages in decision-making—remains unclear.
Council member Zarin Gracey expressed his opposition to relocating The Bridge to his district. Documents presented to him displayed a proposal akin to San Antonio’s Haven for Hope as a model for addressing homelessness in the downtown area.
Currently, The Bridge resides in the southern half of downtown Dallas, an area undergoing a redevelopment plan that includes renovating the Kay Bailey Hutchison Convention Center. Recent city council decisions include granting a $96 million incentive package to developer Mike Hoque for potential housing and commercial developments near City Hall.
The future agenda of the housing committee regarding discussions of the Dallas Executive Airport remains uncertain, as Mendelsohn did not directly address inquiries regarding the airport during recent discussions. The ongoing tension among council members seems to be influenced by political interests that overlook the needs of southern Dallas residents, according to Gracey.
With the implications of this alleged Open Meetings Act violation potentially affecting future policy decisions, the situation continues to attract scrutiny from various stakeholders within the Dallas community.
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