District 13 Council member Gay Donnell Willis is currently serving her third term in the position. Her district covers most of Preston Hollow and the surrounding area from University Park to Love Field to 635, with the exception of a chunk on the eastern side taken by District 11.
Willis comes to the council with myriad nonprofit experiences, notably serving as the president and CEO of the Turtle Creek Conservancy.
We checked in with Willis about current City Council issues and what’s going on in the district:
Dallas is weighing whether to invest heavily in repairs to City Hall or relocate operations. What do you see as the most responsible path forward?
The most responsible path forward is to give consideration to all options, including 1) repair and modernization costs of City Hall in a timeframe that does not expose staff and the public to potential harm, 2) understanding the post-COVID Downtown office space availability and ability to create a more resident-friendly experience for attending public meetings or conducting business at City Hall and 3) the highest and best use of the land beside a new $3.5 billion convention center.
You’ve publicly supported the city manager during recent controversy. What do you think residents misunderstand most about how major city decisions, like City Hall or large economic deals, are made?
Having defined objectives is the best way to be sure the best decisions are made. The City Manager has 15 bosses, so it is not always easy to gain consensus on what those objectives are. But that is the framework in which we must work. There are also very real factors like generating enough revenue to cover the expenses of the needs and wants of Dallas residents, like smooth streets and competitive pay for police officers and firefighters, libraries, parks, etc. Layer in the external economic pressures of declining sales tax revenue and a 90th legislature that could impose further limitations on revenue, and you begin to see the complex nature of all of the factors that must be considered in decisions at City Hall.
How should we aim to balance long-term infrastructure investments with immediate neighborhood needs?
Progress has been made on our major streets, with large stretches of Midway, Inwood, Royal, Webb Chapel and Forest being reconstructed or repaved over the past couple of years. Some neighborhood streets have also seen improvements, but I will be working on getting more of the most serious conditions addressed in the 2026-27 general fund allocation.
The city is beginning its budgeting process earlier this year. What are your top three priorities for District 13, and what might have to be cut to fund them?
D13 residents most frequently get in touch on street and alley conditions, and I’m the out-front fighter for more infrastructure dollars. This includes updating traffic signals to keep car flow moving. D13 is generally safe from violent crime, but I hear most about speeding and red light running — so more resources toward Chief Comeaux’s Operation Slow Down are a focus. Finally, creating more options for moving our unsheltered residents off the streets is also a concern. The city manager and staff have worked to increase efficiency, so I think we need to consider how to grow our tax base versus always thinking in terms of cutting services to residents.
Potential rezoning at Preston Royal is a hot-button topic. It isn’t ready to be voted on by council, but what are your preliminary thoughts?
It’s important to respect that not everyone has the same opinion — some folks want to keep things the way they are, and others see new options as the direction a large city should be going. There are also citywide implications that must be considered. But, overall, trading in fact and giving objective consideration to proposals is critical in any zoning case. This is not always easy because cases that are adjacent to neighborhoods bring a lot of history and emotion, which must also be understood.
District 13 includes some of Dallas’ most civically engaged neighborhoods. How has resident feedback shaped your policy decisions over the past term?
D13 does have residents that are very active advocates for myriad subjects — whether it’s their own street or a citywide issue. It’s important to know that on every issue, I hear various perspectives, and in this climate, some prefer to share their comments through email or a call versus in a public forum. Whatever the channel, I listen to their rationale and factor it in with other aspects that must go into a particular decision.
This interview has been edited for clarity and brevity.
District 11 Council member Bill Roth was sent 20 questions relating to density, development, traffic, Valley View Center, infrastructure, congestion, budgeting, zoning, public safety and transparency. Upon receiving the questions, Roth revoked his agreement to respond to them.
