South Dallas

On Wednesday, the Dallas City Council voted to take the reins on […]

Scottie Smith II is proposing a Sunny South Dallas Public Improvement District (PID) to generate $9 million over the next decade to pay for increased police patrols, landscaping, sidewalks and drainage, with the money coming from extra fees paid by property owners in the area.

In November, West Dallas residents attended a public meeting to […]

The Dallas Community Land Trust is launching with a focus on South and West Dallas affordability, with the trust owning the land making mortgage payments and property taxes more affordable for future owners.

From notes by Dallas Documenter Brianna Patt As the city […]

The Dallas Community Land Trust (DCLT) is a nonprofit organization that aims to provide an affordable path to home ownership by keeping land costs low, and has recently hosted its first open house showcasing two homes in South Dallas that will be available for purchase by the end of the year.

The Dallas Free Press has created a visual story to simplify the complex South Dallas Fair Park Area Plan and a roundtable discussion between three of South Dallas' new arts leaders, both of which can be found on their YouTube channel.

South Dallas' arts and cultural institutions are preparing for next summer's FIFA Fan Festival at Fair Park, with the African American Museum of Dallas mounting a Nelson Mandela exhibit and Forest Forward looking to maximize the opportunity to tell stories and build relationships.

The Pointe South Business Group and the South Dallas arts institutions are working to ensure that the South Dallas community benefits from the millions of dollars being invested in the area, while also preserving its cultural heritage.

Three newcomers to Dallas recently arrived on the scene at […]

Park and Recreation board members questioned the future of South […]

This interactive map highlights the Martin Luther King Jr. Corridor in South Dallas, showcasing key streets, landmarks, and community planning areas tied to the legacy of civic leader Elsie Faye Heggins and the broader redevelopment efforts of Black leaders and landowners.

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.

Forest Forward recently welcomed community members to its new headquarters to share updates on the restoration of the historic Forest Theater and the expansion of the Martin Luther King Jr. Arts Academy, and to introduce Nijeul X as the organization's new artistic director.

The City Plan Commission delayed the July vote of a […]

Hundreds of Dallas residents spoke against proposed service and fare […]

The City of Dallas approved a long-awaited area plan to […]

South Dallas community leaders, residents, and DISD staff gathered to bid farewell to the old Billy Earl Dade Middle School Learning Center, which is being demolished to make way for the proposed $50 million Adelio Williams Career Institute East.

Incumbent Council Member Adam Bazaldua won the election for District 7 in South Dallas, receiving nearly 57% of the votes and avoiding a runoff, despite low voter turnout.

Eva Jones is leading an effort to have the City of Dallas designate her Queen City neighborhood as a historical district, which would help preserve the area's history and stabilize property values, though it could also make it more difficult for current homeowners to repair or sell their homes.

The South Dallas Fair Park Area Plan identifies 2nd Avenue as a key focus area to transform into a walkable corridor featuring retail, restaurants, office space, and housing, with recommendations to change the zoning and create a mixed-use subdistrict to encourage development close to the street and remove parking minimums.

The South Dallas Fair Park Area Plan recommends expanding zoning along Elsie Faye Heggins Street to allow both residential and non-residential development, aiming to ease housing pressure and revitalize the corridor.

The South Dallas Fair Park Area Plan recommends zoning changes and development standards to create a vibrant hub along S. Malcolm X Boulevard, featuring mixed-use subdistricts, low-rise buildings, and no parking requirements to promote small business development and residential housing opportunities.

An area plan intended to dramatically change the way South […]

In the upcoming Dallas City Council and school board elections, voter information is publicly available, but the actual votes cast are not, making each vote a powerful power play.

Six candidates attended a forum to discuss public safety, affordable housing, economic growth, and more, with four of them declaring their support for a historic district in the Queen City neighborhood and an authorized hearing for the South Dallas/Fair Park Area Plan.

Leading up to the May 3 election, Dallas Free Press […]

In the Bertrand neighborhood of South Dallas, third-generation homeowner Delphine […]

The Dallas Free Press Voter Guide is available to help Dallas County residents prepare for the May 3rd election, providing information on registration, polling locations, candidates, and early voting locations.

Career Institute East will be renamed after a beloved South […]

A zoning request to build a duplex in a neighborhood […]

A new City of Dallas plan for how land can […]

The decades-old Joseph J. Rhoads school in South Dallas has […]

In a sense, the Zan Wesley Holmes Jr. Community Outreach […]

Fair Park First has announced a new $8.65 million federal investment to replace acres of concrete parking lots in Fair Park with a 10-acre community park, which will include a 1-acre playspace and 325 parking spaces, and is set to be completed by late 2026.

Fair Park First has announced an $8.65 million federal investment for the 10-acre community park, which will replace a portion of the parking lots in Fair Park, and has pledged to include amenities such as a 1-acre playspace and a historical marker, while also providing easy access to the surrounding neighborhoods.

South Dallas native Norvel Dumas, 27, had been driving without […]

KERA and Dallas TRHT have released a series of documentaries highlighting the history of civil rights and social justice activism in South Dallas and Fair Park, with plans to build curriculum around it to educate youth on the topic.

The Civic Atlas is a new tool that makes public Dallas zoning and building permit data easy to use, designed to help residents of South and West Dallas track proposed developments that could impact their property values and taxes.

Earl D. Thomas, a Victory Gardens resident, is a third-generation […]

Neighbors say the temporary improvements fell short of long-term impact […]

Posters and playbills featuring Broadway musicals line the walls of […]

South Dallas community members gathered last weekend for the unveiling […]

Learn about Principal Russell's plans to reverse the declining enrollment, encourage students to pursue higher education and more.

This new “Neighborhood Connect Telehealth Initiative” — a partnership between Aetna CVS Health and the South Dallas Fair Park Faith Coalition, which Salem pastor Todd Atkins chairs — is intended to bring health care directly to South Dallas residents, bypassing barriers such as internet access, transportation, and the historical mistrust of Black Americans in medical care.

The latest This spring the Dallas City Council voted unanimously […]

The Dallas Free Press is a newsroom that focuses on connecting neighbors to resources and events, with Jeffrey Ruiz serving as the communications coordinator for the weekly text message service that nearly 1,000 people in South Dallas and West Dallas subscribe to.

The latest:  At the most recent City of Dallas Landmark […]

This content originally was a newsletter Dallas Free Press emailed […]

This content originally was a newsletter Dallas Free Press emailed […]

This content originally was a newsletter Dallas Free Press emailed […]

Background information, priorities, and endorsements for District 9 Board of Trustees candidates Oralia Alonso, Da'On Boulanger-Chatman, Ed Turner, and LaKashia Wallace.

Forest Forward, a Black-led nonprofit, has purchased 20+ parcels around the historic Forest Theater in South Dallas to revitalize the neighborhood, which has seen a 1200% increase in land value in just four years due to the government's recent recognition of the area's worth.

What is the job of the Dallas ISD Board of Trustees? How and when are they elected?

What originally started as an effort to revive the theater has expanded in scope, with Forest Forward acquiring several surrounding parcels of land between Julius Schepps Freeway and SM Wright Freeway. Forest Forward now owns the theater, the former liquor store just north of the theater, the gas station next door to the liquor store, and the lots behind the theater where an infamous gambling house once stood.

The nonprofit Forest Forward owns South Dallas' historic Forest Theater and about 20 pieces of land surrounding it.

For more than 50 years, the Park South YMCA has served South Dallas neighbors of all ages through exercise classes, childcare and community events. As part of YMCA of Metropolitan Dallas’ efforts to improve facilities, the Park South building is undergoing a major $15 million renovation, expected to be completed in early 2025.

With the few grocery stores and continuing food apartheid in South Dallas, community organizers have established urban farms and community gardens. While the projects have fostered a sense of community, to what extent have they improved food access?

South Dallas residents are still asking for grocery stores, and while community gardens can provide some sustenance, they are not a replacement for grocery stores, as evidenced by the recent closure of Save-A-Lot and the lack of corporate grocers in the area.

Bonton Farms is set to open a health clinic in early 2025. Most neighbors are excited for the resource, but some had questions about the farms' communication and decision-making process.

Bonton Farms adds a wellness center to the community as an answer to revitalizing the South Dallas neighborhood, which will open in 2025.

Take a look at our spreadsheets to find out what 2017 Dallas bond projects have and have not been completed over the last seven years.

Bonton representatives want to know why no one told them […]

As property taxes rise city-wide, Dallas residents have a variety of options for payment plans or exemptions to lower their burden of the bill.

South Dallas is defined by its residents as zip codes 75210 and 75215, and a small portion of 75223 and 75226, and is a 14-square-mile area immediately south of Downtown, but immediately north and northeast of Oak Cliff.

DART has four rail stops and seven bus routes in […]

Tucked inside the Innercity Community Development Corporation (ICDC) offices off […]

Green Careers Texas opens its first rooftop training site in South Dallas to pave a way towards a living wage through green careers.

The “Great” James Madison High School continues its ongoing construction and the community wants to stay informed on its progress.

The community is excited about the new amenities and upgrades to their Park South YMCA, but permit delays leave them without their Y until the end of 2024 or early 2025.

This content originally was a newsletter Dallas Free Press emailed […]

On August 28, Fair Park First CEO Brian Luallen presented plans for a community park and parking garage, seeking input from South Dallas.

South Dallas residents face hurdles in accessing social security benefits and struggle through a lengthy process with uncertain results.

The new cloud kitchen at 2839 S. Ervay is the final piece in Cornerstone Baptist Church’s development project at The Crossing. Pastor Chris Simmons says this space gives local entrepreneurs the opportunity to expand their business and create affordable and livable wages in the neighborhood.

This excerpt from Ernest McMillan’s book, “Standing: One Man’s Odyssey through the Turbulent ’60s" is a glimpse into the work of the Student Non-Violent Coordinating Committee, or SNCC, in South Dallas.

Lincoln High School welcomes a new principal, Lance Williams. Dallas Free Press sat down for a conversation with Williams to learn more about his vision for the 2023-24 school year.

Property tax consultant Toby Toler worked with more than 100 people over DCAD’s four-week protest period in April and May. He feels like the majority of the people he helped in Southern Dallas were able to successfully challenge their property values and lower their taxes.

Here is a list of Back to School events happening in your community that will have backpack and school supplies giveaways, health and family resources and other services for students.

Dallas ISD is requiring all students, including preschoolers as young as 3-year-olds, to carry a clear backpack as part of the district’s “ongoing effort to ensure safer schools.”

H-E-B’s press release announced the new stores would be Joe V’s Smart Shop, which offers “a price-conscious shopping experience.” Both will be located in southern Dallas; the first store opening next summer at the corner of West Wheatland Road and Highway 67, and a second store opening in 2025 at the corner of Buckner and Samuell boulevards.

“Fair Park has a lot of historical significance,” Moore says as he describes the panoramic painting in the courtyard of the South Dallas Cultural Center.  He chose to paint a chronological display of Fair Park’s role in promoting the understanding and awareness of Juneteenth.

The Kathlyn Joy Gilliam Museum recently reopened on Wendelkin Street in South Dallas. Honoring the legacy of Mrs. Kathlyn Joy Gilliam, the museum showcases the civil rights leader’s life story featuring original furnishings, photos, and artifacts in the home she lived in for 35 years.

The South Dallas Fair Park Public Improvement District is coming to an end. Property owners of neighborhood homes and businesses advocated against extending the PID for another seven years, saying they didn’t feel the additional tax burden translated to tangible community benefits.

Ferrell Fellows' business model is simple: She buys off-market properties in South Dallas in need of serious repairs then renovates these homes, preserving character and history. They become residences for first-time homebuyers, long-term rentals for people not ready to take that leap, and shared housing for people she comes across in her community work, everyone from single parents to immigrants to prostitutes.

Fellows believes everyone deserves a dignified way to live.

South Dallas District 7 has a new plan commissioner — Tabitha Wheeler-Reagan. She will join 14 plan commissioners to hear zoning cases and make recommendations to the City Council.

Desiree Powell hopes that the food park can be a living example of Black excellence and history in South Dallas. That’s one of the reasons she decided to partner with Fair Park First.

The Dallas Free Press is participating in The Trust Project's Phase VII cohort to rebuild trust in news media and combat misinformation by adding the project's 8 Trust Indicators to their website.

Watermark submitted a proposal to the City of Dallas for a new planned development district (PD) for the almost 10-acre space on July 12 — less than two weeks before it held its second community meeting.

A task force on safe communities is spending $150,000 to help clean up nearly 600 vacant lots in Mill City, with the goal of cutting crime along with the grass in the neighborhood.

Last year, Madel Perez coached the Park South YMCA Sharks into a fifth-place victory in the regional competition. What made this such a remarkable win was that the South Dallas Sharks were one of the few teams with a diverse group of students.

Frazier Healthy Homes is a South Dallas nonprofit program that provides home repairs to low-income residents, helping them to stay in their homes and pass down property to the next generation.

Tabitha Wheeler-Reagan, the co-chair of the South Dallas/Fair Park Area Plan Task Force, says the neighborhood’s PD 595 deters new businesses from coming into South Dallas. PD 595’s initial goals were to police alcohol sales and prevent gentrification, she explains, but she and the task force believe the zoning needs to be updated — still protecting the community, but encouraging local entrepreneurs, too.

The Dallas Free Press team will be hosting a community coffee event tomorrow, Sept. 14, at Mokah from 8-9:30 a.m. to introduce their Report for America corps member Jeffrey Ruiz and discuss the role of community journalism in South and West Dallas.

Dallas Free Press is looking for a journalism pathway coordinator to work with students in South Dallas and West Dallas on writing, storytelling, civic engagement, media literacy and critical thinking skills that would benefit them no matter what career they choose.

South Dallas’ newest summer attraction resides along South Malcolm X […]

Phase 4 of the month-long food park aimed to create a community environment for South Dallas residents and businesses of color.

A bombshell dropped on South Dallas this week when Froswa’ Booker-Drew announced that her last day at the State Fair of Texas would be next Friday, April 15.

Already, 65,000 people in DFW are enrolled in Amazon’s SNAP delivery program, but the company found that people who live in “food deserts” weren’t using the service, so launched a new outreach program Jan. 1.

The Hon. Diane Ragsdale, who will turn 70 this year, has spent her entire life in South Dallas. Her story has been shaped by the neighborhood and, likewise, she has shaped her neighborhood in significant ways. She’s still fighting some of the same issues that led her to run for Council, and as a registered nurse, she approaches the systems as she would her patients — a belief in preventative medicine that will treat the underlying causes, not just the symptoms.