OUR PROGRESS | Rachel for Desoto

WATCH THE 2022 STATE OF CITY
"CHARTING A NEW PATH FORWARD"

Winter Storm Uri Response: Maintained consistent communication throughout the storm & hosted a Water Collection Drive & collected 1,000+ bottles of water in less than 24 hours. With the help of grant funds, we assisted residents in Hickory Manor Senior Living Facility who became displaced due to repairs on their units.
Approved the creation of the First Public Art Mural in the Cities History
Established the DeSoto COAD (Community Organizations Active in Disaster)
Launched the City Rebranding Initiative which is now in the final stages to completion. This initiative redefines DeSoto’s image to our businesses and residents.
Established the Quarterly Faith Leaders Breakfast
Organized and hosted DeSoto's First MLK Day Celebration and a Homecoming Celebration to celebrate the City's history
Re-established Joint Meetings with DeSoto ISD Board of Trustees

Overall Crime is down 29% over the last 5 years
C.A.R.E. Team was established to address mental health calls for service
Rental Registration Program went into effect with the goal to preserve and improve rental properties in the city
Created Public Safety Coalition to bring community stakeholders together to work collaboratively on solutions that address overall areas of concern regarding crime in our city and to improve Citywide communication.
Hosted a Gun Surrender Program in partnership with the Dallas County DA
Developed High Intensity Crime Reduction Unit (HICRU) which is charged with taking a more proactive approach to guns and illegal drugs

Watch our most recent Public Safety Coalition Townhall HERE.

The Hampton Road Redevelopment Project is entering into the Design Phase. The HRRP gives us a clear vision for building a downtown and a walkable corridor
Purchased additional parcels of land for development
We've approved plans for our State of the Art Aquatic and Recreation Center for the McCowan Park Masterplan
The City's Comprehensive Plan Update is underway. This process is important because it determines how we want to see land in our community developed over time. Updated plans communicate our standards for how we want land to be developed.
Established the Grow DeSoto Market Place Advisory Team. We are currently working with key partners to evaluate the success of our Small Business Incubator. We are exploring opportunities to build on that foundation and provide more dining options with a marketplace feel.
Approved an Ordinance focused on Smoke Shops and Small Discount Variety Stores (Dollar Stores) to address over saturation of these types of businesses in the community

Approved an INCREASE of the ‘Over 65 Property Tax Exemption'
No City Property Tax Rate Increase in 11 Years
DeSoto secured $10.4 million in Federal Grant sources to address the impacts of the Pandemic on our community
The City of DeSoto has continued to work with STAR Transit to provide transportation services for residents. Council approved restructuring the City’s fixed-route bus system to a new same-day, on-demand system that functions similar to a shared Uber experience.

Watch the 73rd Homecoming Celebration HERE.

Watch the MLK Day Celebration HERE.