A coalition made up of legal advocates and a law firm is suing Dallas over a new rule that subjects people to fines of up to $500 for standing on road medians, arguing it is unconstitutional and will disproportionately impact homeless residents.
The federal lawsuit was filed Wednesday against the city, Police Chief Eddie García and interim city marshal David Pughes on behalf of four Dallas-area residents, including a 68-year-old veteran without stable shelter who the suit said still isn’t able to afford a $460 citation he received in March 2020 for an existing city law that bans pedestrians from soliciting motorists on public roadways.
The other three plaintiffs are a University of Texas at Arlington professor, a local activist and a second veteran who has experienced homelessness for several years but currently lives in a home subsidized by the Veterans Administration in Dallas.
