Photo courtesy of Carol Toler
City Council member Gay Donnell Willis has shared important updates for District 13’s alley-to-curb trash collection transition following public feedback.
“When the City first began evaluating changes to alley trash collection, approximately 94,000 residents citywide were identified as potentially impacted,” Willis said in the District 13 newsletter. “By July 2025, the City announced plans to transition more than 26,000 homes beginning in January 2026, including approximately 9,500 homes in District 13.
As a result, many Preston Hollow neighbors grew increasingly concerned and eager to learn more about this potential adjustment, questioning whether it was the most effective solution.
“In September, I submitted a memorandum to City Manager Kim Tolbert requesting that the city pause the implementation timeline to find a solution that ‘protects sanitation workers, addresses costs transparently and ensures fairness for our residents,’” Willis said. “I also requested that the Sanitation Department create a clear compliance checklist so residents could understand what changes might be needed to preserve alley collection where possible.”
In doing so, Willis hoped to ease the worries of the community and make sure that the City was considering multiple avenues for changes.
“Following that request, the city paused the rollout, gathered resident feedback, conducted additional analysis and reassessed the affected areas,” Willis said. “District 13 went from approximately 9,500 potentially impacted homes to roughly 450 homes in which alley conditions or configurations continue to pose safety concerns for sanitation crews and equipment.”
In an effort to make an informed choice that best serves the public, the City is also working with an independent consultant well-versed in sanitation operations. Though this collaboration has received some backlash, Willis believes that it addresses the community’s worries and will lead to a better outcome.
“Some folks are lamenting hiring a consultant for this, but an independent evaluation is what neighbors asked for,” Willis said. “City staff had researched private options and discovered that some communities that switched to private collection eventually switched back — so let’s study this to be sure we get it right, because what an expensive hassle that would be.”
As the City continues planning the change, Willis ensures neighbors that she will prioritize reliability, safety and cost-effectiveness above all.
For more information, visit the Sanitation Services Alley-to-Curb Transition Information page.
