DALLAS — Raul Reyes Jr., a respected West Dallas community leader and fair housing advocate, has died at 50.
Reyes was president of West Dallas 1, a coalition of neighborhood associations in West Dallas.
“Raul Reyes Jr. was a fierce community advocate for environmental justice, housing equity and education,” the coalition shared in a social media post. “He was proudest of his three adult children and his West Dallas community, where he was a lifelong resident. He was a beloved father, son, brother, neighbor and friend.”
WFAA has reported on Reyes' and West Dallas 1’s advocacy for affordable housing in West Dallas, among other issues.
Reyes has been appointed to several city boards and commissions over the years. Most recently, he was appointed by city Council Member Omar Narvaez, who represents West Dallas, appointed Reyes to represent District 6 on the Dallas Public Facility Corporation.
“Raul was president of West Dallas 1 and his leadership helped unite many different neighborhood groups and people across West Dallas. He was always out and about supporting different neighborhood events and causes,” Narvaez wrote on social media. “We are a better West Dallas because of Raul and I will miss his big smile and his grandiose speeches and especially the candid conversations we would have.
Reyes was also a founding member of Dallas Housing Coalition, a local organization that advocates for attainable housing.
“He was a fierce advocate for his community surrounding many initiatives at West Dallas 1, including housing affordability, neighborhood revitalization, and so much more,” the organization wrote on social media. “We will continue to fight for the broader Dallas community as hard as he did for his and his family’s community in West Dallas.”
“You’ve ran your race, you’ve fought a good fight, now you can rest from your labor. Your legacy will be etched in the pages of history,” J.A. Armstrong III, Builders of Hope Community Development Corporation CEO, wrote of Reyes.
Reyes was born and raised in the Los Altos neighborhood in west Dallas. His parents, Raul and Juanita, immigrated to Dallas in the ‘60s. Raul was named Best West Dallas Community Advocate by the Dallas Observer in 2022.
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