Dallas’ new 311 feature will track landlord retaliation against tenants

Tenants in the city of Dallas who face retaliation from their landlords after reporting a code violation can now document it through the 311 nonemergency system.

But those who don’t speak English might have a more challenging time trying to report their problem. The service won’t be available online in Spanish until the end of the year at the earliest.

The Office of Community Prosecutor and the Department of Code Compliance of Dallas launched the service for multifamily, single-family and duplex tenants in English on Aug. 23.

The service will help the city determine where retaliation cases are happening and document the process. Jennifer Brown, with the city’s communication department, said via email that the city will use a tiered enforcement practice, which may include notices, citation and litigation.

Code compliance director Christopher Christian and multifamily interim code enforcement director Ariel Garcia did not respond to requests for comment.

Before, renters had to file a written complaint with the city attorney.

According to the city, no retaliation complaints have been received in the last year before the new service request was launched, as they did not have a system in place to document this violation.

Now, with the new service request system, 10 cases have been filed as of Sept. 1, according to the city data portal. Four are in District 13, located in the Vickery Meadow area.

Typically, a tenant submits a code compliance complaint — such as for a leaky roof or AC problems that a landlord hasn’t fixed — by calling 311 or through the 311 app. A code inspector investigates and maybe issues a citation.

But if the landlord or property manager then attempts to evict the tenant, cut their water service or increase rent, this can be reported as a retaliation complaint. Retaliation includes but is not limited to sudden rent increases, diminished services or eviction in response to a complaint.

Retaliation against tenants is prohibited according to Chapter 27 of the city of Dallas code, which establishes minimum property standards to ensure that all “residential buildings, structures, and premises are safe, sanitary, and fit for tenants.”

Housing advocates see this new service as a tool to help renters avoid evictions. Still, they are concerned that tenants who already tend not to report regular code violations for fear of retaliation will not use the new system.

“It is always better if it’s more inclusive so that more people can use it,” said Mark Melton of the Dallas Eviction Advocacy Center. “In my experience, I have found, especially in the Spanish-speaking tenants, that there is a tendency not to file complaints at all for fear of retaliation.”

Tenants can make a retaliation complaint online by visiting the city’s 311 portal.

After selecting the “Create Service Requests” option, they can choose “City Code Violations” and click on the “Landlord Retaliation After Reported Code Violation” option.

From there, the tenant provides other details, such as the service request number from the original code compliance violation and who they believe is retaliating.

A new service request number will be generated, and the tenant will receive an email with the case information. According to the city’s portal, the estimated response time is 10 business days, and the estimated resolution time is 30 business days.

The Apartment Association of Greater Dallas, a trade association representing rental property owners and managers across 11 counties in North Texas, including Dallas County, was not notified by the city about the new request service.

“We work with them quite a bit on different initiatives. I just wasn’t aware of this particular program,” said Jason Simon, director of government affairs for the association. “But I certainly think if it’s necessary and needed, then it’s something we support. We want our residents to be fully informed of their rights.”

But without providing the service in Spanish or other languages, some residents may not be able to get help.

In Dallas, where 40% of its residents speak a language other than English, the 311 mobile application and the online portal to report nonemergency city issues are only available in English. Efforts to provide services in other languages have been delayed several times.

The 311 department planned to offer the app and online portal in Spanish last summer, then the date was moved to December, The Dallas Morning News previously reported. The department said this year that the Spanish-language website would be live by late spring and the app by December 2023.

“To get the full functionality needed for Spanish translation, the city’s system required additional upgrades than originally planned. Our goal is to deliver a fully functional product that provides a positive customer experience, and we are working towards delivering this solution as quickly as possible,” Brown wrote via email.

María Meza, a Bachman Lake-area resident evicted in February, said had the system been live when she encountered problems with her property manager because of reporting code violations in her unit, she might still be living in her old apartment.

“When I got evicted, my neighbors said, ‘That is what it happens when you call the city,’” said Meza. “I hope this system works and helps others like me who complain about the tactics managers use to push people out of their apartments.”