A series of firsthand accounts from Gateway Parks homeowners paint a stark picture of what residents describe as a dramatic decline in safety, quality of life, and neighborhood stability following the expansion of development by Ashton Woods and its sister builder, Starlight Homes. Many say the community they invested their futures in has transformed into a hotspot of crime, rental saturation, and disorder — leaving families frustrated, fearful, and desperate for change.
The Dream Turned Nightmare
“The dream quickly turned into a nightmare for us.”
WT, who lives in what residents call the “hot spot of the Starlight district,” described the increase in crime as overwhelming and constant. Their account includes open drug dealing, alleged drug houses, daily break-ins, ongoing fights, and frequent police presence:
“We have 3 guaranteed drug dealers on our street with a possible 2 more… We have 50 kid brawls, break-ins daily, shootings… drugs being done on front porches… My car has been broken into, my neighbor's car stolen.”
WT also detailed an alleged grow house operating with no tenants and homes with multiple families living inside, expressing frustration over the developer-controlled HOA:
“The HOA, which is directly run by AW, refuses to hear anything… responding with what seems to be ChatGPT generated questions.”
WT lamented that the situation has caused their home value to drop by $20,000, adding:
“Every day is just another day where I’m planning to see the police, hear shots, see a car stolen, or just hear screaming.”
From Peaceful to Perilous
“It felt like we were in south Dallas.”
MV, who moved to Gateway Parks in 2021, noted that the neighborhood was once pristine and peaceful until Starlight Homes arrived:
“Right away we saw the shift and change in what was once the perfect neighborhood… We hear and see cops in our neighborhood what seems to be on a daily basis.”
MV recounted incidents of break-ins, disturbances on school buses, and children left unattended at amenities:
“The incident from last week was scary… It felt like we were in south Dallas.”
Concern for Families
“I’m tired of my toddler having to smell weed while he plays.”
GM echoed similar concerns, recounting the decline since Ashton Woods purchased remaining lots from earlier builders and began constructing what residents described as lower-quality, investor-focused homes:
“More car burglaries, more kids fighting… Ashton Woods came in and bought out all the lots… Then built cheap homes with deals for investors… I’m tired of my toddler having to smell weed while he plays.”
High Expectations, Harsh Reality
“We just spent almost $500,000… Now it’s coming over here.”
HH expressed disappointment after expecting to live in a safe, high-end neighborhood after purchasing a home near $500,000, but now feels deceived and endangered:
“Loitering, smell of drugs, damaged property, loud music, basic ghetto activities… There are 6 cars to one house on my street. SIX. And they never move.”
She criticized the city and developer for failing to protect homeowners, stating they fled a high-crime area only to face similar conditions:
“We moved from Windmill Farms because it’s basically gang activity and crime 24/7. Now it’s coming over here… Be prepared for the property values to plummet.”
Escalating Incidents
“This is now the fourth serious incident in our neighborhood.”
JB shared a deeply personal account involving an attempted break-in while he and his child were inside the house:
“The suspect on the run attempted to open my back door while my daughter and I were inside… This is now the fourth serious incident in our neighborhood.”
He also described a violent assault involving children:
“We had to intervene when a group of kids on Starlight Home Street were attacking a handicapped child.”
Truck break-ins, violent fights, and rising crime have made safety a daily concern:
“My truck was also broken into in broad daylight… These repeated events have made safety a major concern for my family and this community.”
A Neighborhood at a Breaking Point
Across these stories, several themes emerge:
A sharp increase in crime linked to specific streets and rental clusters
A surge in investor-owned and voucher-based rentals
HOA responses residents describe as dismissive or unhelpful
Declining property values and fear of long-term neighborhood decline
Families feeling trapped, misled, or unsafe in their own homes
Residents say they moved to Gateway Parks believing they were joining a safe, growing master-planned community. Instead, many feel the neighborhood has shifted dramatically — and quickly — leaving them desperate for intervention from the city, the HOA, and the developer.
