Garland staff says faster encampment removals, new signs and outreach reduce park camps

Amber Thompson, lead of the Wayward Encampment and Community Assistance Network (WE CAN), told the Garland Arts & Recreation Advisory Board that the city has shifted tactics to respond more quickly to homeless encampments in city parks. "We now have contractors who remove the encampments...so now we do contract removals, and we can remove pretty much—I can call them, and tomorrow we're out removing an encampment," Thompson said. She said contracting has reduced backlog and limited the growth of camps.

Thompson said the city attorney approved permanent no‑camping signs for parks that, when posted, mean staff do not need to give the previously required 72‑hour notice for removal on public property. "This is their notice...so they have been notified if this is in a city park, they have been notified, and we don't have to give notice," Thompson told the board. She clarified enforcement decisions can still involve police officers: if officers decide to give notice, her team follows that direction.

Thompson described prevention and monitoring strategies that include targeted canopy trimming to reduce hiding places, more frequent patrols (including ATV access in wooded preserves), and closer cross‑jurisdictional coordination with neighboring cities and outreach coordinators. She said residents and parks staff are encouraged to report encampments through the city's environmental compliance portal or by phone; she provided her office number and an email contact at Garlandtx.gov.

The board raised questions about shelters and warming/cooling activations, and a member referenced a recent Dallas Morning News story alleging a resident received only 24 hours' notice and that an outside group provided tents and relocated them; Thompson said she had not observed that practice in Garland and would alert staff if it was occurring. Thompson also reported a point‑in‑time (PIT) count coordinated by Housing Forward found 71 people in January (the PIT is conducted on one cold day and follows HUD guidance), and she estimated the broader population in Garland may be in the hundreds when temporary shelter capacity is counted.

The board asked about storage of personal property and removals; Thompson said the city has limited obligation to store belongings if notices are provided, but officers retain discretion and Thompson said the team typically offers chances for occupants to pack up before items are stored. She recommended Metro Relief and Housing Forward as established outreach partners for businesses or congregations wanting to assist individuals in the field.

Next steps Thompson flagged included placing more permanent no‑camping signs (she estimated about 25 had been placed but some removed), strategic material choices (steel rather than aluminum) to deter vandalism, and requests for more funding and logistical support to expand monitoring and removal capacity.