Resident urges council to convert underused DART property into affordable housing

During the consent‑agenda public comment period on March 26, resident Neftali Bautista urged the council to pursue incentives to convert underused DART parking and other property into affordable housing sites and to build the supporting infrastructure so developers will invest.

Bautista recounted riding DART since childhood and argued that low transit ridership in some Irving neighborhoods reflects a lack of density and infrastructure rather than rider preference. “I urge the council to take advantage of the incentives of converting some of DART's property into affordable housing and start building the infrastructure needed for developers to move in,” Bautista said. He told the council that parking at some stations is underused and could be redeveloped to increase density and improve route viability for lower‑income residents.

The comment was taken under advisement as the council moved the consent agenda; no formal action on DART property or housing incentives was recorded that evening.