FORNEY — In a pointed open letter, two members of the Forney City Council have accused Ashton Woods/Starlight Homes of neglecting resident safety concerns in Gateway Parks, attributing a surge in crime to investor-owned and transient rental properties.
The letter, penned by Place 1 Council Member James Traylor and Place 4 Council Member Sarah Salgado, follows a marathon six-hour City Council meeting on December 2. During this meeting, numerous Gateway Parks residents voiced their growing safety concerns. The council members noted that residents expressed “not mere frustration, but genuine fear” regarding crime and disorder associated with the developer-controlled segments of the community.
Residents Report Crime Surge in the New Starlight Homes Section
The council members assert that crime rates in Gateway Parks have surged following the developer's addition of a six-block section of Starlight Homes, which has become a hotspot for absentee investors and short-term renters. According to the letter, the neighborhood, once characterized as a “quiet, well-maintained community,” is now plagued by “organized criminal activity and disturbances at all hours.”
Residents conveyed to officials their feelings of insecurity, stating they no longer feel safe:
Walking in their own neighborhood
Allowing their children to play outside
Attending community events
The council members emphasize that this situation is not exaggerated but reflects the residents’ “daily reality.”
Council Members Accuse Developer of Controlling the HOA and Ignoring Pleas
Residents have repeatedly urged the HOA to limit rental properties and restore stability to the neighborhood. However, the letter indicates that these efforts have been stymied because the HOA board is entirely controlled by Ashton Woods/Starlight Homes, lacking any resident representation.
The letter criticizes the developer for responding with “silence, deflection, [and] inaction” despite residents attending meetings “in person, en masse, repeatedly.”
Police Calls Up in the Area, City Says
The letter points to a “sharp, measurable increase” in police activity within the six-block Starlight area, including:
Assaults
Robberies
Vehicle break-ins
Drug offenses
Domestic violence calls
The council members commended the Forney Police Department for “managing a situation in Gateway Parks that they did not create,” but stressed that the burden should not continue to fall solely on law enforcement.
Three Immediate Actions Demanded
In their letter, Traylor and Salgado demand that the developer implement the following actions before the upcoming City Council meeting on December 16:
Institute an immediate cap on rental properties in Gateway Parks.
Take measurable action to reduce crime in the affected neighborhood.
Add real resident representation to the HOA board.
The letter also directly challenges the developer’s recent communication with residents, branding its promises of “active collaboration” and “direct dialogue” as mere “carefully workshopped corporate buzz words.”
Council Members Await Written Response
“We are drawing a line,” the letter states, emphasizing that Forney “welcomes residents who contribute positively” but will not tolerate a business model that fosters instability. The council members conclude by expressing their anticipation for a written commitment from Ashton Woods/Starlight Homes prior to the December 16 meeting.
