Hank Lawson

The proposed Sunny South Dallas PID would assess an additional annual fee to non-homestead properties within the district, with nearly half of the budget dedicated to public safety and community outreach, and requires City Council approval and majority landowner support by February 2027.

Long overlooked and plagued by safety concerns, the MLK DART Station has seen little of the investment poured into nearby Fair Park. Now, three commercial property owners — two Black, all local families — control 27 acres around the station. They have benefitted from a grassroots business coalition led by Hank Lawson and believe transit-oriented development could revive local businesses and draw long-overdue attention to South Dallas — even after a recent proposal fell through.

The City of Dallas has terminated the contract of Fair Park First, a nonprofit overseeing the 277-acre Fair Park, and plans to create a new nonprofit to care for the community park and work with donors and partners.