Thread: Dallas suburb's paint idea has Latinos seeing red

Oct. 11, 2007, 12:09AM
Dallas suburb's paint idea has Latinos seeing red
By ANABELLE GARAY

FARMERS BRANCH — Some residents of this Dallas suburb that tried to ban apartment rentals to illegal immigrants now want the city to regulate which colorful hues people can paint their homes.

Although the City Council hasn't decided whether to consider any house paint restrictions, Hispanic leaders say it's yet another effort to target Latinos in the city.

"I believe controlling the color you paint your house is basically profiling the Hispanic community," said Elizabeth Villafranca, whose family owns a Mexican restaurant in Farmers Branch. "We all know who paints their homes tropical colors."

Two residents requested the council discuss mandatory exterior color standards for buildings.

Such paint ordinances are usually set by homeowners associations in the suburbs. Historical districts also regulate colors in an effort to preserve the original appearance of homes, said Jeffrey J. Rous, a University of North Texas professor who teaches urban economics.

Farmers Branch resident Tom Bohmier wonders if there's a way to balance ruling out some shocking colors while keeping individuality. One of his neighbors has a home painted in several different colors, including flashy blue.

"It tends to harm the value of the neighborhood when people are shopping for homes," he said.

But Rous, who's building a home in Farmers Branch, questions whether it's proper for government to decide which color palette is considered garish or beautiful.

"To say that we're going to have government officials dictate what constitutes good aesthetics, I'm not sure local elected officials should be making those decisions," said Rous. "I'm not sure what the need is for this."

Victorian homes are often painted bright blue or peacock green, buildings in South Beach typically have outside lights in electric purples and yellow and structures in Santa Fe blend into the desert landscape with earthen reds or dark tans.

But most homes in Farmers Branch are brick, with trim or shutters painted in neutral colors. A handful are more brightly colored, such as one wooden home with Kelly green trim or an upscale two-story house with one burnt orange side.

Residents Matt Burton and Robin Bernier proposed the color standards at a city council meeting earlier this month, presenting photos showing homes with shades they found unsightly.

Burton didn't immediately return a message for comment, and a telephone number for Bernier was not available.

But Bernier, who also supported the city's apartment ban, told The Dallas Morning News: "When you paint your house some fluorescent or garish color scheme, you negatively affect my (home) value."

For now, city officials plan no action.

"We're going to look into it and see what the legal ramifications are," said city spokeswoman Nicole Recker.

Farmers Branch leaders have become involved in the nationwide political debate over immigration.

The City Council approved an ordinance that would require apartment managers to verify that renters are U.S. citizens or legal immigrants before leasing to them, with a few exceptions. Landlords would have faced fines of up to $500 a day for violating the measure.

Voters endorsed the ordinance in May but a federal judge has blocked its enforcement, saying Farmers Branch attempted to regulate immigration differently than the federal government.

http://www.chron.com/disp/story.mpl/front/5204649.html

I don't think I would want to live next to a tropical colored house. I also think people automatically would think Latino's. Lets face it who would want to willingly invest in a home in a latino neighboorhood? I have seen whatthey do to a neighboorhood. Not for me.

Ban the gaudy

Officials dictate what constitutes good aesthetics,

LOL ya thats not good no mater where we are liveing

A funky looking house in the middle of the neighborhood will sure harm your potential selling value. I wouldn't want a hot pink house on my block. I don't care if it's owned by Barbie or Pedro.

Dixie

One would think the historical societies and neighborhood preservation groups would be weighing in on this. Their views certainly couldn't be labeled racist; this is what they do.

I see these types of bold colors used all the time here in El Paso.
Shocking Pink, Turquoise, Bright orange yellow, seem to be the colors of choice!

"I believe controlling the color you paint your house is basically profiling the Hispanic community," said Elizabeth Villafranca, whose family owns a Mexican restaurant in Farmers Branch. "We all know who paints their homes tropical colors."

Do these people ever do anything but b****, moan, complain and play the race card? This is no MeHEco. If they miss their ghetto barrios so much, they need to go home and stop trying to turn every neighborhood in the US into their cesspool ghetto homeland.

Originally Posted by WhatMattersMost

"I believe controlling the color you paint your house is basically profiling the Hispanic community," said Elizabeth Villafranca, whose family owns a Mexican restaurant in Farmers Branch. "We all know who paints their homes tropical colors."

Do these people ever do anything but b****, moan, complain and play the race card? This is no MeHEco. If they miss their ghetto barrios so much, they need to go home and stop trying to turn every neighborhood in the US into their cesspool ghetto homeland.

You said it WMM. What doesn't the hispanic community think doesn't target them? SHEESH!

I might have pink, my favorite color, but it would be a very sophisticated, very soft pink.

Psalm 139:14

Okay, when have you seen a new house on the market that has been painted any color that wouldn't be considered neutral? Would you want to move next door to a house that has several colors on the outside? While I believe a homeowner has the right to choose which color(s) their house is painted, I believe the city who collects taxes based on the value of the property has every right to enforce codes that give the property a better chance of keeping the value from going down. You can argue by calling it "art", but again, if it significantly affects the resell value of homes in the area, it must be changed. Think about all the people who have been told to cover or change clothing on airplanes for what someone found offensive or inflammatory.