Northwest Houston residents want dangerous parking lot takeovers to end: 'It makes it hard to sleep'

HOUSTON, Texas (KTRK) -- Residents in the Greater Heights area in northwest Houston say parking lot takeovers are getting worse and it's frightening.

For months, people who live near the Restaurant Depot on W. 20th Street and E. T.C. Jester say they've been dealing with large-scale car meetups, and it seems like anything goes.

Clark Senter says he has seen stunt driving, racing, and fireworks.

"It's quite the show," Senter said.

Every Sunday and Thursday night, neighbors say as many as 200 cars fill the parking lot, which is a massive area marred with skid marks.

Neighbors shared videos with ABC13 showing the packed parking lot. In one video, a person is hanging out of a car window. In another, people are lighting fireworks. It is very unsettling for those who live nearby.

"It makes it hard to sleep. It upsets my dog and it upsets us. Sounds like there's a war going on," Jay Shepard explained.

Residents said they have called both Houston police and the City of Houston to report the chaos.

District C Council Member Abbie Kamin, who represents the area, wants them to keep it up.

"We need those records to show how bad this is," she said. "Really. it's about safety, and it's getting worse."

Kamin said she is on the phone weekly with HPD. The City has funded overtime for additional officers, she said, but what they really need is for the business to do something.

"There are multiple entrances so closing off ingress and egress, and then, also at night, after hours, closing those with a gate or a simple chain would go a long way here in making a difference in this community," Kamin said.

Restaurant Depot did not respond to a request for comment. Houston police told ABC13 that they are aware of the safety concerns and are working to deter meetups and disperse them safely when it is too late.

Residents said the parking lot turmoil often spills over into the roadways with street racing. They want something to be done soon.

"I just wish there could be something done to solve it," Shepard added.

For more on this story, follow Jessica Willey on Facebook, X and Instagram.