Solutions to the Inequality Crisis in Dallas: Addressing Poverty with Redevelopment

Dallas’ regional economy is robust and growing yet is facing a crisis of economic inequality which corresponds with racial inequality. South Dallas, where the population is overwhelmingly people of color, suffers from high rates of poverty and unemployment and poor access to quality food. The current system of redevelopment in Dallas focuses on subsidizing growth downtown, where investment is already heavily concentrated. Low-income communities—like South Dallas—are getting left further and further behind. This report calls for the city to use its redevelopment authority to bring a high quality, full-service grocery store to South Dallas. Best practices would include a project labor agreement to ensure good wages and benefits for construction workers and a targeted hiring program to prioritize community workforce development.