KnowYard Community

HOA sent me a violation for my trash can being visible. I'm done.

Got a letter from my HOA. Violation: "trash receptacle visible from the street." My trash can was next to my garage. Not in the yard. Not on the sidewalk. NEXT TO MY GARAGE on the side of my house.

Coding bootcamps in DFW: Which ones are worth the money?

I went through a bootcamp in DFW and now work as a developer. Here's the honest breakdown.

• Tech Elevator (Dallas) — 14-week full-stack (Java or C#). $15,500. 90%+ job placement rate. My bootcamp. Highly recommend. Source: techelevator.com
• Coding Dojo (online with DFW events) — 14-week, multiple stacks. $14,000-16,000. Source: codingdojo.com
• Flatiron School (online, DFW career support) — 15-week, multiple tracks. $16,900. Source: flatironschool.com

DFW pet emergency preparedness: Storms, heat, and disasters

DFW weather is unpredictable. Here's how to keep your pets safe.

• Keep a pet emergency kit: 3 days of food, water, medications, copies of vet records, leash, carrier
• Know your tornado shelter spot and practice getting your pet there quickly
• Microchip + collar with current tags. Storms separate pets from owners more than anything.

Trade jobs vs college degree: Texas edition

I'm 19. Everyone in my family says college. But I've been looking at the numbers and I'm not sure it makes sense anymore.

Texas severe weather emergency prep: Your DFW survival checklist

DFW gets hammered by severe weather. Tornadoes, derechos, ice storms, extreme heat. Here's the real prep list from someone who's lived through all of them.

• Download a weather app with polygon-based alerts. Recommended: RadarScope ($10, one-time) or Weather Underground (free)
• Know your safe room: interior room, lowest floor, no windows. Bathroom or closet.
• NOAA Weather Radio with battery backup (~$30). When the power is out, this is your lifeline.

Side hustles that actually work in a Texas city

I need extra income. Not passive income guru stuff. Not dropshipping. Not "invest in real estate with no money down." Real things that real people are doing to make extra money.

Rent went up $400 and they didn't fix a single thing

Lease renewal came in. $400 more per month. Same unit. Same busted dishwasher I reported 6 months ago. Same stain on the ceiling from the upstairs leak they "fixed" twice.

Property tax protest -- did anyone actually get theirs lowered?

First time protesting my property tax appraisal this year. The county raised my value by $35K which makes zero sense because nothing about my house or neighborhood has changed.

DFW board game cafes and tabletop spots: Where to roll dice

Board game culture in DFW is strong. Here's where to play.

• Madness Games & Comics (Plano) — massive game library, weekly events, Magic: The Gathering tournaments. Free to browse, games for sale. Source: madnessgames.com
• Collected Comics & Games (Fort Worth) — Fort Worth's best. Game nights weekly. Source: collectedfw.com
• Cidercade (Deep Ellum) — 180+ arcade games, $12 unlimited play, BYOB. Not board games but adjacent. Source: cidercade.com

DFW hit-and-run: What to do if you're the victim and how to find the driver

Texas leads the nation in hit-and-run fatalities. Source: AAA Foundation for Traffic Safety. If you're hit, here's the step-by-step.

• Ask responding officer about traffic camera footage (TxDOT and city cameras at major intersections)
• Post on Nextdoor and neighborhood Facebook groups with the description
• Check nearby businesses for security camera footage within 48 hours (many systems overwrite after 72 hours)

Just got laid off. Tech industry is brutal right now.

Got the email Wednesday morning. My entire team — 14 people — eliminated. 2 years at the company. Good performance reviews. Didn't matter.

Remote work in Texas -- anyone else never going back to office?

I've been fully remote for 2 years. My company just announced a "hybrid" return — 3 days in office. Which means I now need to commute 45 minutes each way, pay for gas, buy lunch, and wear pants.

What's actually hiring around here that pays decent?

I've been applying for weeks. All the Indeed postings are either scams, ghost listings that have been up for 6 months, or they want 5 years of experience for $18/hour.

State Fair of Texas 2026: Everything you need to know before you go

The State Fair runs September 25 - November 1, 2026 at Fair Park in Dallas. Here's the complete guide.

• Hours: 10am-9pm (10pm Fri-Sat)
• General admission: $20 adult, $14 seniors/kids. Source: bigtex.com
• Parking: $15-30 near Fair Park. DART to Fair Park station is $2.50 and avoids ALL parking headaches.

Toyota Plano campus: Honest review after 3 years there

Moved to DFW specifically for Toyota's Plano headquarters. 3 years in, here's the real story.

• Campus is beautiful. 100 acres, on-site fitness center, cafeteria, dry cleaning, Starbucks
• Benefits are elite: pension (yes, pension in 2026), 401K match up to 6%, medical/dental/vision all excellent
• Toyota Financial Services and Toyota Connected offer tech-adjacent roles with great comp

DFW couples bucket list: 50 things to do before you leave the metroplex

My partner and I made this list when we moved here. We're at 37/50 after 3 years. How many have you done?

DFW government jobs: The stability play nobody considers

Government jobs in DFW are overlooked because the base salary is below market. But when you add benefits, the total comp tells a different story.

• IT roles: $65-95K base
• Planning/engineering: $60-90K base
• Benefits: Dallas Employee Retirement Fund (pension), health insurance, 10 holidays + PTO

Pet-friendly apartments in DFW: Where your pets are actually welcome

Most DFW apartments "allow" pets but the fees and restrictions vary wildly. Here's what I've found.

• The Union Dallas — no breed restrictions, dog wash station, nearby Griggs Park for walks. Pet rent: $25/month. Deposit: $250.
• Gables Republic Tower — dog run on-site. Weight limit: 100lbs. Pet rent: $30/month.
• The Epic Deep Ellum — pet-friendly with dog park on-site. Walking distance to Baylor dog park.

Best affordable areas that aren't sketchy?

Looking for a new apartment or maybe renting a house. Budget is around $1,200-1,400 for a 1BR or small 2BR. I know that's tight.

DFW government jobs: The stability play nobody considers

Government jobs in DFW are overlooked because the base salary is below market. But when you add benefits, the total comp tells a different story.

• IT roles: $65-95K base
• Planning/engineering: $60-90K base
• Benefits: Dallas Employee Retirement Fund (pension), health insurance, 10 holidays + PTO

DFW divorce support: Resources and communities that actually help

Going through it right now. Instead of venting (I'll do that in therapy), I want to share the resources I've found in DFW for anyone else in this situation.

• Texas is a no-fault divorce state. You don't need to prove wrongdoing. Source: Texas Family Code Section 6.001.
• Legal Aid of NorthWest Texas — free legal help if you qualify. Source: lanwt.org, (888) 529-5277
• Dallas Volunteer Attorney Program — free consultations for low-income. Source: dallasbar.org/dvap

Dallas violent crime dropped 12% in 2025 — here are the numbers by district

Dallas PD released the 2025 annual crime stats and the trend line is moving the right direction for violent crime, but the picture is uneven across divisions.

• Homicides: 189 (down from 214 in 2024, -11.7%)
• Aggravated assaults: 7,841 (down from 8,592, -8.7%)
• Robberies: 3,112 (down from 3,480, -10.6%)

Worst employers in DFW: The blacklist thread

Let's save each other time and money. Which DFW employers should people avoid?

• Share your experience, not rumors
• Be specific: what was bad and for which role/department
• It's okay to name names — this is salary transparency's cousin

Dating scene here is... something else

Been single for about 6 months. Back on the apps. Some observations about dating around here.

• Every third profile is someone holding a fish they caught
• The question "what church do you go to" comes up on the first date more often than I expected
• Distances are insane. Matched with someone who seemed great — they live 45 minutes away. That's a 90-minute round trip for a dinner date

Texas inspection failed for the dumbest reason

Took my car for annual inspection. Everything works fine. Brakes good. Lights good. Emissions good. Failed because one of my tire pressure monitoring sensors is malfunctioning.