DALLAS — Every day, Mitchell Brown goes to the MLK Jr. DART station in South Dallas. He has seen the good and the bad.
“I was angry. Here I am, a 58-year-old from South Dallas. I had to get on the ground because these dummies are shooting at the station. It went pop, pop, pop, pop. You heard ding, ding, ding, ding,” said Brown, a South Dallas resident.
He said his frustration grows when looks just blocks away at Fair Park. “That money has to start going that way some,” said Brown.
He and residents such as Ken Smith said Robert B. Cullum Boulevard is the divide.
“You have millions and millions and millions being poured into right across the street, but practically none on the other side,” said Smith, Revitalize South Dallas Coalition.
That is where Pointe South Revitalization comes in to address the need. The group of residents, business owners and developers have been working to reboot their 2013 MLK Jr. Station Area Plan.
“Like so many plans, it was sat on the shelf,” said Hank Lawson, Pointe South Revitalization Chair.
Lawson said to bring more development, the city has to address issues such as mental health, homelessness and crime on this side of the boulevard. “The crime and gun violence that was allowed to occur in that 3000 block of South Boulevard and the 3100 block, that’s shameful that the city hasn’t done more to stop that,” said Lawson.
Dallas Police said violent crime in the area is down almost 24% from last year; however, residents said that is not enough.
Pointe South Revitalization said there are resources in the area, and the desire for development is there. They tell WFAA what is missing is action.
Smith said for years, they have submitted project proposals for bond packages, but theirs was never selected. He also said individual members of the community group own about 85 lots in the area. “It makes us wonder if this land where we live promised to somebody else. We don’t know. Why are there so many roadblocks when you own the land,” asked Smith. “We want to make sure that we are not concentrating poverty in one zip code, which is what our policies are doing.”
Pointe South Revitalization wrote a letter to city leaders including City Council member, Adam Bazaldua, and Mayor Eric Johnson. “What does equity and inclusion mean for us? How real is equity when it comes to our needs in this area,” asked Lawson.
WFAA reached out to those leaders as well. Although we have not received a response, Lawson said leaders are starting to show interest. “The momentum is real. We now have solid projects on the ground trying to happen. They can’t ignore that,” said Lawson.
It is attention that Brown has heard in years past, but hope the attention stays this time. “It is what it is. It’s going to be what it’s going to be, but hopefully it gets better,” said Brown.