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Viral Dallas holiday home is a neighbor headache.
Dallas city officials are seeking new regulations to curb massive crowds and public safety concerns caused by a viral Preston Hollow home known for its extravagant holiday decorations.
DALLAS - Elaborate holiday displays on social media have turned a Dallas home into a viral destination for onlookers, creating a headache for neighbors.
Dallas City Council members are working to figure out what, if anything, the city should do about it.
Why the home went viral
What we know:
The Preston Hollow mansion has become known as the viral Halloween house, less than a year after gaining fame and celebrity re-posts as the viral Christmas house.
Even on a Thursday evening, a crowd gathered outside the home's gates.
Cost of controlling viral traffic
The home is in the district of Dallas Mayor Pro Tem, Gay Donnell Willis. She first requested the city address this issue back in January. City staff estimated traffic control over the Christmas holiday last year wound up costing taxpayers $25,000.
Dallas home with viral Christmas lights cost taxpayers $25K
A Dallas mansion that went viral on social media because of its Christmas light display ended up costing the city about $25,000.
"Weekly or two weeks, thousands of people come to a neighborhood and ask me how I know that is a concern," said Willis.
"I have folks a mile away or normally don't pull down a shade, but have to when this home is lit up, almost a mile away!"
Dallas's code compliance department explained that the city has seen an increase in homes using high-intensity lighting. The director of code compliance also suggested the city create a nuisance violation if a city inspector observes sustained crowding or congestion, and Dallas police or Dallas fire have public safety concerns.
Dig deeper:
Willis says another reason the city is experiencing more extreme neighborhood events is because the city's short-term rental ban is still tied up in court. A video of a large party in the Trinity Groves neighborhood in West Dallas in June shows the high number of visitors in the area.
Dallas police made no arrests and did not report any offense.
Viral Dallas Christmas mansion attracts attention with Halloween display
A Dallas mansion that became known as the viral Christmas house is fast becoming the viral Halloween house. The city of Dallas ended up spending $25,000 in taxpayer dollars to control traffic around the house last December.
Dallas debates new nuisance codes
What they're saying:
"While we have a lawsuit, we have FIFA coming. I think every district will see this explode. If you are not experiencing this now, I have a feeling it will be coming your way," said Willis.
Dallas city councilman Phil Roth expressed concerns about the new regulations.
"Hesitant to make rules that affect everyone to monitor a few violations," said Roth.
City staff said there are dozens of ‘problem houses,’ and those homes have a ripple effect.
"Those properties have incurred hundreds of complaints at various times and days and seasons," said one city staffer.
"There are enforcement gaps. We've explored tools with the city code to combat nuisance behaviors, but we don’t have the tools to accomplish the resolution the neighbors are crying out for," said another city staffmember.
November 17th deadline
What's next:
There was also discussion about limiting valet parking in a neighborhood to no more than four events per home a year. No decisions were made today.
City staff said they will return with recommendations to the quality-of-life committee on November 17th.
The Source: Information in this article was provided by FOX 4's Lori Brown. Additional information was provided by the Dallas Code Compliance meeting on October 20th, 2025.