Expanded Dallas Crime Crusade Against Blight

A new Dallas crusade against overgrown vacant lots, abandoned buildings and blight launched Tuesday in the Mill City neighborhood near Dallas Fair Park.

It was fueled with donations to Mayor Eric Johnson’s Safer Communities Fund and with tax money from neighborhood Councilman Adam Bazaldua.

The show of support from Dallas City Hall in a meeting at the Juanita Craft Recreation Center on Spring Avenue in Mill City Tuesday nearly brought one neighborhood leader to tears.

A trashy, overgrown, vacant lot on Jamaica Street is an example of the issue. The lot is in between two newer houses -- new development is what Dallas wants to attract in older neighborhoods.

But Robert Randall, who lives across the street, said the vacant lot attracts trouble.

“There used to be a drug house on this street and the police busted it a couple of years ago, and some of the guys were hiding in those bushes right there,” Randall said.

Blight was seen as evidence no one is watching the neighborhood and removing it was the top priority for the Dallas Mayor’s Safer Communities Task Force three years ago.

The task force recommendations were based on evidence from other cities.

Philadelphia reported strong crime reduction results by getting rid of blight.

Johnson said Dallas has already seen crime improvement in the places where blight reduction has happened over the past three years here. Mill City is now being added to the effort.

It is a predominately Black community that once had mostly homeowners but now has mostly renters in the older homes that still remain amid the many vacant lots.

“We want to bring people back to the city. We want people living in South Dallas and all these places. But even before we get there, we'll see a benefit from just cleaning these areas up,” Johnson said.

The nonprofit Builders of Hope, which is constructing affordable new homes in Mill City, will oversee the cleanup program.

West Dallas Pastor James Armstrong runs Builders of Hope.

“It is a two-year plan to remediate blight,” Armstrong said. “In order to build strong communities, those communities have to be safe. Those communities have to have a decent quality of life.”

Armstrong has worked closely in this community-building effort with Mill City Neighborhood Association leader Alendra Lyons.

From a home in the suburbs, Lyons moved back to the neighborhood where she grew up. She said she volunteers to help improve it for kids growing up there now.

“I want it to be a place of safety and beautification where they can be and not have to go out,” Lyons said.

She said the large crowd on hand for the Mayor’s visit Tuesday morning makes her not want to give up.

“It’s been tough over here. But thank God, the prayers and support of you all being here today shows me that the fact we fight here for this community is not in vain. Thank you so much,” Lyons said.

Resident Robert Randall agreed the neighborhood needs the attention.

“Yes sir it is a real good thing. It sure is,” Randall said.

Dallas Police Chief Eddie Garcia said the effort also helps the work of police.

The department reports a violent crime reduction this summer, including the Southeast Dallas area.

“That didn’t happen by accident. It happened through the commitment we see in this room and the commitment of the men and women of this police department,” Garcia said.