West Dallas Demographics

West
Dallas Community Collaborative

for Schools, Jobs and Housing:
West Dallas Demographic Data and Analysis

11.5 Sq. Miles

55 Organizations
13 Schools
= 1 Project
ACCION Texas
AVANCE Dallas
ƌŽƚŚĞƌŝůů͛Ɛ,ĞůƉŝŶŐ,ĂŶĚ
Builders of Hope
Dallas Faith Communities Coalition
Education Is Freedom
Marillac Social Center
Mary Saner Child Development Center
Mercy Street
Serve West Dallas
The ARK Group (Adults Relating to Kids)
Trinity River Mission
Vickery Meadow Learning Center
Voice of Hope
Wesley Rankin Community Center
West Dallas Community Centers
West Dallas Weed and Seed
Dallas Independent School District
St. Mary of Carmel Catholic School
The Heights Preparatory School (Uplift)
West Dallas Community School

About the West Dallas Community Collaborative

The purpose of the West Dallas Community Collaborative for Schools, Jobs and Housing (the Collaborative) is
to bring into focus a coordinated array of resources in one clearly defined geographic area. It is a compilation of
the work and plans of many of the not-‐for-‐profit organizations working in West Dallas. Their mutual intention is
that children and their families may grow into engaged citizens, attending great schools and living and working
in healthy communities.
This Demographics information is an excerpt from the full Collaborative document, available on the DFCC
website, www.dfcc.us.

Contacts
Dallas Faith Communities Coalition (DFCC)
4514 Travis, Suite 350
Dallas, TX 75205
(o) 214.269.3340
www.dfcc.us
Regina Nippert, Executive Director regina@dfcc.us
Brooke Cohen, Director of Legislative and Corporate Relations brooke@dfcc.us
Esmeralda Ortiz, Director of Community Relations esmeralda@dfcc.us
Michelle Edmond, Faith and Community Advocacy Coordinator michelle@dfcc.us
Shree N. Moffett, Community Engagement Coordinator shree@dfcc.us
Cameron Mason Vickrey, Faith Community Coordinator cameron@dfcc.us
Tara Powell, Communications Coordinator tara@dfcc.us

Demographics3

Note: Comparisons are to City of Dallas data unless otherwise indicated. Zip-‐code level census data for 2010 is
not yet available.
TABLE 1
West Dallas Community Demographics West City of
(some numbers rounded) Dallas Dallas
POPULATION4 except where noted
Total population 24,063 1.2MM5
Median age 26 33

Age 17 and under 38% 27%
Hispanic/African-‐American 72/25% 46/23%

Speak Spanish at home 63.3% 39.5%
INCOME4
Per capita income 9,813 24,273
Median household income 27,773 43,066

Households earning less than $15,000 33.2% 14.6%
Households earning less than $35,000 60.2% 40.6%

Families with children living below poverty level 37.5% 16.8%
EDUCATION4
All residents age 25+ who never completed high school 67.1% 30.6%
Hispanic residents age 25+ who never completed high school 72.6% 61.9%
Residents who are college graduates 2% 27%
6
Pinkston compared to DISD :
2009 graduates who took SAT or ACT 40.5% 64.5% (DISD)

2009 examinees scoring at or above criterion (1100 SAT or 24 ACT) 3.2% 10.5% (DISD)
Average SAT for Class of 2009 798 861 (DISD)
Class of 2009 completion statistics:
Percent of class who earned high school diploma in 4 years 59.6% 67.6% (DISD)
WĞƌĐĞŶƚǁŚŽĚŝĚŶ͛ƚĞĂƌŶĚŝƉůŽŵĂŝŶϰǇĞĂƌƐĂŶĚwhere they went: 40.4% 32.4% (DISD)
-‐ Earned GED 1.2% 0.6% (DISD)
th
-‐ Continued H.S. for 5 year (many will drop out) 18.8% 12.7% (DISD)
-‐ Dropped out during those 4 years 20.4% 19.1% (DISD)
7 (except where noted)
EMPLOYMENT-‐RELATED
Unemployment rate (not official) counting only those looking for work 12.59% 7.9%
Age 16+ employed or in military as % of total population 52.26% 63.12%
Age 16+ not employed as % of total population (incl. those not looking) 47.74% 36.88%
8
Employment density (jobs per square mile) 1,649 2,2858
Households not owning at least one car 23%4 10%4
9 except where noted
HEALTH
Births per 1,000 females age 15-‐19 63-‐10010 41.511 (U.S.)
Percent of births to mothers under 20 44% 28% (county)

Percent of births to unmarried mothers 67% 51% (county)
Percent of births to mothers without a high school degree 30% 21% (county)
6
Percent uninsured 60%
HOUSING (see Table 3 for census tract data)4

Median owner-‐occupied housing value $46,863 $125,526

Median age of housing units 47 37

Richardson
TABLE 2
Highland
Pinkston

Dallas
Plano
Comparisons of Pinkston to Dallas ISD and other North Texas
Park
School Districts12
2009 graduates who took SAT or ACT 40.5% 64.5% 74.8% 78.0% ?13
2009 examinees scoring at or above criterion (1100 SAT or 24
ACT) 3.2% 10.5% 41.8% 64.4% 75.4%
Average SAT for Class of 2009 798 861 1054 1165 1203
Class of 2009 completion statistics:
Percent of class who earned high school diploma in 4 years 59.6% 67.6% 87.2% 92.1% 99.2%
WĞƌĐĞŶƚǁŚŽĚŝĚŶ͛ƚĞĂƌŶĚŝƉůŽŵĂĂŶĚǁŚĞƌĞƚŚĞǇǁĞŶƚ͗ 40.4% 32.4% 12.8% 7.9% 0.8%
-‐ Earned GED 1.2% 0.6% 0.6% 0.6% 0.0%
-‐ Continued high school for 5th year (many will drop out) 18.8% 12.7% 7.4% 5.2% 0.6%
-‐ Dropped out during those 4 years 20.4% 19.1% 4.8% 2.1% 0.2%

TABLE 3
CT 102 includes
CT 105 includes
Greenleaf Village
City of Dallas

Westmoreland
CT 101.01
CT 101.02
CT 106.01
CT 106.02

La Bajada
Los Altos
Housing comparisons in
Heights
CT 43
West Dallas census tracts14
Total housing units 839 1,387 982 1,324 917 1,639 892 537,378
Vacant housing units 13.3% 11.9% 10.2% 3.1% 17.6% 0.4% 1.2% 12.6%
Occupied housing units 86.7% 88.1% 89.8% 96.9% 82.4% 99.6% 98.8% 87.4%
Owner-‐occupied 56.8% 67.5% 61.6% 27.4% 63.8% 68.2% 36.7% 46.1%
Renter-‐occupied 43.2% 32.5% 38.4% 72.6% 36.2% 31.8% 63.3% 53.9%
Median value of owner-‐
15
occupied units $65,800 $58,000 $49,800 $86,200 $55,400 $64,300 $63,800 $125,526
Selected monthly owner
costs as a percentage of
household income ʹ housing
units with a mortgage paying
35.0% or more 20.2% 74.7% 42.0% 43.9% 51.4% 28.8% 33.6% 30.8%
Gross rent as a percentage
of household income ʹ
percent of renters paying
35.0% or more
36.8% 68.2% 54.8% 46.6% 42.7% 31.5% 45.4% 39.9%

3
The starting place for many of these statistics is the report from the J. McDonald Williams Institute, Research Compilation
West Dallas (Zip Code 75212), December 2006. Statistics are generally 2005. For a copy contact info@dfcc.us.
4
Most of the Williams Institute statistics have been updated with 2010 estimates from Claritas MarketPlace Pop-‐Facts:
Demographic Snapshot 2010 Reports for zip code 75212 and for the City of Dallas,
http://www.claritas.com/sitereports/basic-‐demographics-‐report-‐package.jsp
5
2010 Census, http://factfinder.census.gov
6
Texas Education Agency 2009-‐10 School Report Card for Pinkston H.S.,
http://www.dallasisd.org/inside_disd/depts/evalacct/data/aeis.htm, item #6 under 2009-‐10 Annual Educational

Performance Reporting. College-‐ready scores are defined as 1100 on SAT or 24 on ACT composite. Comparisons are to
DISD overall.
7
These rates are calculated from West Dallas census tract and City of Dallas data for ages 16+ reported in the U.S. Census
Bureau 2005-‐2009 American Community Survey 5-‐Year estimates, Data Profiles for census tracts 43, 101.01, 101.02, 102,
104, 105, 106.01, 106.02, and City of Dallas,
http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DatasetMainPageServlet?_lang=en&_ts=319995012908&_ds_name=ACS_2009_5YR_G00_&_program . The
unemployment rate reflects persons who are in the labor force but neither employed nor in the military. To calculate a
West Dallas unemployment rate, the total number of unemployed for all census tracts was divided by the total number in
the labor force in those tracts. The same calculation was made for the City of Dallas. This has the same weakness that the
official unemployment rate calculated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics carries: the rate excludes individuals who are no
longer looking for work. The reasons that people do not look for work can include sickness, staying home with children,
undocumented status, retirement, or they simply gave up. So another way to evaluate employment is to compare the
jobless rates: adults who are not working, calculated as a percentage of the total population ʹ whether in the labor force or
not ʹ in West Dallas compared to the city as a whole. To calculate a percentage of adults employed in West Dallas, the total
number of employed residents in all census tracts was divided by the number of total residents in those tracts. (None were
reported as serving in the military.) To calculate a percentage of unemployed adults, the total number of those in the labor
force but unemployed was added to the total number of those not in the labor force, and that sum was divided by the
number of total residents. The same calculation was made for City of Dallas numbers. Whether you look at the
unemployment rate that only takes into account those looking for work, or whether you look at the total percentage of
adults in the population who are not employed, in both cases West Dallas percentages are significantly higher than those
ĨŽƌƚŚĞŝƚǇŽĨĂůůĂƐ͘dŚŝƐĚŽĞƐŶ͛ƚŝŶĚŝĐĂƚĞƚŚĂƚƚŚĞƌĞĂƌĞŐƌĞĂƚĞƌŶƵŵďĞƌƐŽĨƉĞŽƉůĞŝŶtĞƐƚĂůůĂƐǁŚŽĐŚŽŽƐĞƚŽƐƚĂǇŽƵƚ
of the labor force. Dr. Timothy ƌĂǇĂƚhdĂůůĂƐƉŽŝŶƚƐŽƵƚƚŚĂƚŝƚ͛ƐŚighly unlikely that the jobless rate in West Dallas
represents a large number of people who are unemployed by choice, such as retires or stay-‐at-‐home mothers who elect not
to work, as you expect to find in higher income areas in the city. (Official unemployment rates are available from the
Bureau of Labor Statistics, http://www.bls.gov/lau/data.htm. A rate for West Dallas is not available, so ACS data was used
for a more accurate comparison between West Dallas and the city as a whole.)
8
DĂǇŽƌ͛Ɛ^ŽƵƚŚĞƌŶĂůůĂƐdĂƐŬ&ŽƌĐĞ͕ĂůůĂƐKĨĨŝĐĞŽĨĐŽŶŽŵŝĐĞǀĞůŽƉŵĞŶƚ͕ƌĞĂηϳĨĂĐƚƐŚĞĞƚ͕
http://www.southerndallas.org/documents/factsheets/7_West%20Dallas.pdf
9
2008 data provided by the Texas Department of State Health Services, Center for Health Statistics on 3/30/11.
Comparisons are to Dallas County data.
10
Dallas/Fort Worth Teen Birth Rates by ZIP Code, University of Texas School of Public Health, citing Texas Depart of State
Health Services, Bureau of Vital Statistics, 2008, provided by request. 63-‐100 is one of four defined ranges.
11
Comparison data is U.S. average. Source: Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, April 6, 2010 press release,
http://www.cdc.gov/media/pressrel/2010/r100406.htm.
12
District data from Texas Education Agency 2009-‐10 Academic Excellence Indicator System,
http://ritter.tea.state.tx.us/perfreport/aeis/2010/index.html.
13
Footnote on Highland Park ISD 2009-‐ϭϬŝƐƚƌŝĐƚƉƌŽĨŝůĞĞǆƉůĂŝŶƐ͕͞ĂƚĂĨŽƌƚŚŝƐŝƚĞŵǁĞƌĞƐƚĂƚŝƐƚŝĐĂůůǇŝŵƉƌŽďĂďůĞŽƌǁĞƌĞ
ƌĞƉŽƌƚĞĚŽƵƚƐŝĚĞĂƌĞĂƐŽŶĂďůĞƌĂŶŐĞ͘͟
14
U.S. Census Bureau 2005-‐2009 American Community Survey 5-‐Year estimates, Data Profiles for census tracts 43, 101.01,
101.02, 102, 105, 106.01, 106.02, and City of Dallas,
http://factfinder.census.gov/servlet/DatasetMainPageServlet?_lang=en&_ts=319995012908&_ds_name=ACS_2009_5YR_G
00_&_program. Maps are available on that site for each of the census tracts. Census tract 104 is not included in this report
because there are only 106 households, but data for that tract is available on the website. Please note the high margins of
error that accompany the census tract level ACS statistics. Please see p. 39 for a census tract map.
15
This is the Claritas 2010 estimate. American Community Survey estimate, which is the same report that the census tract
median values are found, is $129,500. See link in previous footnote.
Demographic Narrative

Despite enormous gains made in the past 10 years, in every category measured West Dallas is still one of the
most challenged communities in the city.
Population and Income: tĞƐƚĂůůĂƐ͛ĚĞŵŽŐƌĂƉŚŝĐƐƐŚŽǁĂĐŽŵŵƵŶŝƚǇǁŚŽƐĞŵĞĚŝĂŶĂŐĞŝƐǇŽƵŶŐĞƌƚŚĂŶ
that of the city as a whole, with a large percentage of its population age 17 and under. Most residents are
Hispanic, with about a quarter African-‐American. Many residents speak Spanish in the home. Both household
and per capita incomes are substantially lower in West Dallas, with consequent negative impacts on children.
More than a third of families with children live below the poverty level. Although pockets of middle-‐income
homeowners are found in West Dallas, it is the areas of extreme poverty that stand out, particularly in the DHA
Lakewest Development (once the largest public housing development in the country) and the community west
of Westmoreland Road.
Employment: The unemployment rate as calculated by the Bureau of Labor Statistics (which we mimicked in
calculating a West Dallas unemployment rate ʹ see footnote 10) excludes those individuals who are not looking
for work. As the footnote explains, there are many reasons people may not look for work, and particularly in
low-‐income areas like West Dallas, one cannot assume that people are out of the job market by choice.
Whether you compare the unemployment rates based only on those in the labor force, or the number of people
not working as a percentage of the population, this much is clear: the percentage of West Dallas residents
without jobs is significantly higher than in the city as a whole.
Almost one-‐fourth of West Dallas households do not own a car and rely on public transportation. Also notable is
the lower employment density (number of jobs per square mile) in West Dallas. Over half of employed West
Dallas residents aƌĞĐĂƚĞŐŽƌŝǌĞĚĂƐŚĂǀŝŶŐ͞ďůƵĞĐŽůůĂƌ͟ŽĐĐƵƉĂƚŝŽŶƐ͕ĂŶĚĂůŵŽƐƚĂƋƵĂƌƚĞƌĂƐǁŽƌŬŝŶŐŝŶ͞ƐĞƌǀŝĐĞ
ĂŶĚ ĨĂƌŵ͟ ŽĐĐƵƉĂƚŝŽŶƐ͘16 Service occupations, according to the Williams Institute (and probably many blue
collar jobs as well) are frequently characterized by low wages, a lack of benefits, and low advancement
potential.17
Education: Ten public schools serve the area. Currently, two (Environmental Science, Lanier) are rated
Exemplary, two (de Zavala and Martinez) are rated Recognized, and the rest are rated Academically
Acceptable.18 Despite these ratings, the performance of many students at middle and high school levels remains
poor. Dropout rates are difficult to calculate; here we draw conclusions from TEA report cards. 52.1% of
WŝŶŬƐƚŽŶ͛ƐĐůĂƐƐŽĨϮϬϬϴeither completed high school or earned a GED within five years of starting, yielding a
ϰϳ͘ϵйĚƌŽƉŽƵƚƌĂƚĞŝĨǇŽƵĂƐƐƵŵĞƚŚĂƚƐƚƵĚĞŶƚƐǁŚŽĂƌĞĐŽƵŶƚĞĚĂƐĐŽŶƚŝŶƵŝŶŐĨŽƌĂƐŝǆƚŚǇĞĂƌĚŽŶ͛ƚĨŝŶŝƐŚ͘The
four-‐year combined completion and GED rate for the Class of 2009 is 60.8%. dŚĞ ĞǆƚĞŶƚ ƚŽǁŚŝĐŚ ƚŚĂƚĐůĂƐƐ͛
dropout rate is reduced from 39.2% after the fourth year depends on the number of students who complete
school or earn a GED in the fifth year (information not yet available). These completion rates are low compared
to DISD as a whole. In SY 2007-‐08 Pinkston earned an Academically Unacceptable rating for the fourth
consecutive year19. After a great deal of commitment and hard work by the principal and students in SY 2008-‐
09, Pinkston earned an Academically Acceptable rating14. Still, the number of students scoring high enough on
the SAT or ACT to indicate college readiness rose from 0% in the class of 2008 to only 3.2% in the class of 2009
;ƚŚĂƚ͛Ɛϯ͘ϮйŽĨƚŚĞϰϬ͘ϱйŽĨƚŚĞĐůĂƐƐŵĞŵďĞƌƐǁŚŽƚŽŽŬƚŚĞƚĞƐƚƐ͕ŶŽt 3.2% of the entire class20). Even though
ƚŚĞĐůĂƐƐŽĨϮϬϬϵŝŵƉƌŽǀĞĚŽŶWŝŶŬƐƚŽŶ͛ƐĂǀĞƌĂŐĞ^dƐĐŽƌĞ;ϳϵϴĐŽŵƉĂƌĞĚƚŽϳϱϲĨŽƌƚŚĞĐůĂƐƐŽĨϮϬϬϴͿ͕ƚŚĂƚ
average is well below the 1100 score that Texas Education Agency deems the minimum indication of college-‐
readiness.21 The organization Children at Risk ranks Pinkston at the bottom of its rankings of Dallas-‐area (183 of
183) and state (1018 of 1018) high schools.22
Student performance is clearly challenged by the impact of living conditions in West Dallas. Poverty impacts
ĐŚŝůĚƌĞŶ͛ƐĂďŝůŝƚǇƚŽůĞĂƌŶ͘tĞƐƚĂůůĂƐ͛ƌĂƚĞƐŽĨďŝƌƚŚƐƚŽƚĞĞŶŵŽƚŚĞƌƐ͕ƵŶŵĂƌƌŝĞĚŵŽƚŚĞƌƐĂŶĚŵŽƚŚĞƌƐǁŝƚŚŽƵƚ
ĂŚŝŐŚƐĐŚŽŽůĚĞŐƌĞĞĂƌĞĂďŽǀĞŶĂƚŝŽŶĂůĂŶĚĐŽƵŶƚǇĂǀĞƌĂŐĞƐ͘WĂƌĞŶƚƐ͛ďĞƐƚĞĨĨŽƌƚƐĂƌĞŚĂŵƉĞƌĞĚďǇƚŚĞŝƌŽǁŶ
lack of education: two-‐thirds of adults over 25 overall, and almost three-‐quarters of Hispanic adults over 25,

never completed high school. Poor performance in high school has its roots in pre-‐K, where students come to
school knowing 2-‐4,000 fewer words than their affluent peers.23
The economic impact to West Dallas of its ongoing educational failure boggles the mind. Using a conservative
delta of a $25,000/year wage differential between a college graduate and a high school dropout, 2,000 dropouts
in 10 years have cost West Dallas $50,000,000 in lost wages and community investment. Drive any street in
West Dallas and the impact of this loss is immediately visible. The only way to reverse this incredible West
ĂůůĂƐ ďƌĂŝŶ ĚƌĂŝŶ ĂŶĚ ƚƌƵůǇ ƌĞĂůŝǌĞ ƚŚĞ ĂƌĞĂ͛Ɛ ĨƵůů ƉŽƚĞŶƚŝĂů is to create conditions that drive improvement in
education so that every West Dallas child enters young adulthood prepared for college or a career.
Shelter: There are about 7,000 households in West Dallas (more or less, depending on data source 24.)
AccŽƌĚŝŶŐƚŽƚŚĞDĂǇŽƌ͛Ɛ^ŽƵƚŚĞƌŶĂůůĂƐdĂƐŬ&ŽƌĐĞĨĂĐƚƐŚĞĞƚ͕ƌenters account for about 40% of the occupied
housing units, owner-‐occupied are about 45%, and about 15% of housing units sit vacant. 25 However, owner-‐
occupied and renter-‐occupied rates vary among different census tracts (see Table 3). The high rate of renter-‐
occupied housing persists in Census Tract 102, despite the demolition of many federally-‐subsidized apartments
and their replacement with single-‐family homes in Greenleaf Village.
Housing values vary significantly between census tracts and between owner-‐ and renter-‐occupied homes, with
the highest values in Census Tract 102, where Greenleaf Village is located (see Table 3). Generally, renter-‐
occupied homes are older and in poorer condition, which is reflected in substantially lower value.26
Five of the West Dallas census tracts reflect owner-‐occupancy rates that exceed that for the city of Dallas as a
ǁŚŽůĞ͘ ^ƚŝůů͕ ǁŝƚŚ ŵĞĚŝĂŶŚŽƵƐĞŚŽůĚ ŝŶĐŽŵĞ Ăƚ ΨϮϳ͕ϳϳϯ͕ ŵĂŶǇ tĞƐƚ ĂůůĂƐ ŚŽƵƐĞŚŽůĚƐ ĚŽŶ͛ƚ Ğarn enough to
purchase a home in their neighborhood or anywhere else, and the percentage of owners and renters spending
more than 35% of household income on mortgage or rent is troubling.
Public Health: Most West Dallas residents seek healthcare at Parkland Hospital (a public health facility), the
Parkland community-‐based clinic in West Dallas, or Los Barrios Unidos Community Clinic, a federally qualified
health center. At Los Barrios Unidos 93% of the patients are Hispanic and 70% of patients are uninsured.
Although still high, the uninsured rate has come down as the clinic has helped residents enroll in Medicaid and
CHIP. In 2010 the clinic served 26,000 patients, about half of those West Dallas and Oak Cliff residents.
According to statistics provided by the clinic, the West Dallas death rates exceeded Dallas County and Texas
rates for heart disease, cirrhosis, homicide, kidney disease, diabetes, and HIV. West Dallas death rates from
stroke, cancer, and suicides were less than Dallas County and Texas averages.27
Recreation: There are 1,323 acres of vacant land within its boundaries28, but only a handful of municipal parks
and school playgrounds provide recreational opportunities in West Dallas. The Trinity River forms part of the
northern and eastern boundaries of West Dallas, and while relatively little has been done to develop this natural
resource for recreation, the Trinity River Corridor Project is expected to change that. The largest urban
redevelopment project of its kind in the world, the project is slated to add whitewater rafting, a chain of lakes
for boating and canoeing, and a link to West Dallas greenbelt that includes the Mercy Street Field of Dreams and
the newly renovated Mattie Nash Recreational Center, bringing tourist dollars, outside investment and
economic development by creating an outdoor recreation destination.
Public Infrastructure: West Dallas is approved for a $100MM bond investment from the City of Dallas (2006).
Funds are earmarked for developing bridges, roadway improvements and parks and recreational facilities. U.S.
Interstate Highway 30 forms the southern border of West Dallas and Loop 12 is its western boundary; however,
development along these two major road corridors is limited with the exception of the Pinnacle Park
development in Oak Cliff and West Dallas along both sides of I-‐30. Two other major road arteries connect West
Dallas with the rest of the city across the river and with other destinations to the West. They are sources of
congestion and high speed traffic, but offer little in the way of retail development as travelers drive through
West Dallas on their way to work or home.
The Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge over the Trinity River will connect West Dallas to Downtown via the Woodall
Rodgers Freeway. Construction is scheduled to be completed in 2011, after which the existing Continental
Street Bridge is to be renovated for use as a pedestrian bridge.29
Construction of a second nearby bridge over the Trinity, the Margaret McDermott Bridge on I-‐30, is planned
(part of the bond fund package).
Threat of Gentrification: The long-‐term impact from development as a result of the new bridges will likely be
significant. Assorted investors have acquired over 70 acres of land near the two bridges for future development.
The threat of gentrification looms large, both in reality and in the minds of community residents. The edges of
West Dallas bordering the Trinity River are poised for rapid and sweeping transition. Investor and community
response to the coming of the Margaret Hunt Hill Bridge, in conjunction with millions of dollars in infrastructure
improvements and the work of the Trinity Trust, may soon transform the area.
West Dallas will transition from a group of sleepy neighborhoods surrounded by one of the largest American
metropolitan areas to either a vibrant community of contrasts -‐ blue collar workers living alongside doctors and
lawyers, and small tire stores sharing street frontage with new upscale restaurants -‐ or one where families who
have called it home for over 100 years will slowly but surely be pushed out.
When development lending opens up again, high-‐rise condos almost certainly will begin to line the river while a
few blocks in, families will continue to raise children in 800-‐square-‐foot wooden houses on modest urban lots.
Experience in other cities has shown that, without concerted effort to resist gentrification and maintain a mixed
economy, disparities between two such different groups of homeowners can become extreme and relations
volatile. Although the beginnings of a recovery are underway, the effects of years of disinvestment and decay
are far from corrected. It is particularly challenging to consider how to bring about necessary improvements to
the quality of life for everyone in West Dallas while managing the growth and development that is certainly
coming.
Developers are further challenged by the tremendous economic inequities found in West Dallas, and the bright
light that development shines on the fact that so many West Dallas residents live with far fewer economic and
physical resources than many Dallas residents in other communities.

16
Claritas MarketPlace Pop-‐Facts: Demographic Snapshot 2010 Report.
17
J. McDonald Williams Institute, Research Compilation West Dallas (Zip Code 75212), December 2006, p. 7.
18
2010 District Accountability Summary, http://www.dallasisd.org/inside_disd/depts/evalacct/data/aeis.htm, item #1C under
2009-‐10 Annual Educational Performance Reporting.
19
See annual accountability ratings summaries at http://www.dallasisd.org/inside_disd/depts/evalacct/data/aeis.htm.
20
See AEIS Glossary, http://www.dallasisd.org/inside_disd/depts/evalacct/data/aeis.htm, under SAT/ACT Results.
21
Despite the addition of the writing portion of the SAT, the criterion score continues to be based on mathematics and critical
reading only. Id.
22
Children At Risk April 2011 rankings, http://childrenatrisk.org/research/school-‐rankings/. Statewide ranking is from 2010 and
will be updated in late April 2011.
23
WĞƌƐŽŶĂůĐŽŵŵƵŶŝĐĂƚŝŽŶĨƌŽŵ'ĂďĞW͘ůůĞŶůĞŵĞŶƚĂƌǇWƌŝŶĐŝƉĂůŽŶŶŝĞ,ŽǀƐĞƚŚ͘^ĞĞĂůƐŽ͞^ƚƵĚĞŶƚƐ͛ǀŽĐĂďƵůĂƌŝĞƐƐŚŽǁŶƚŝĞĚ
ƚŽ ŝŶĐŽŵĞƐ͟ ďǇ ŝůĞĞŶ &ŝƚǌ'ĞƌĂůĚ͕ dŚĞ EĞǁƐ-‐Times, February 11, 2002, accessed on the National Urban Alliance website,
http://www.nuatc.org/articles/pdf/newstimes11feb02.pdf.
24
Sum of occupied households in American Community Survey census tract data in Table 3 is about 7,400. MaǇŽƌ͛Ɛ^ŽƵƚŚĞƌŶ
Dallas Task Force, Dallas Office of Economic Development, Area #7 fact sheet, citing 2007 data, says 6,628,
http://www.southerndallas.org/documents/factsheets/7_West%20Dallas.pdf. Claritas 2010 estimate is 6,300.
25
Area #7 fact sheet
26
Personal communication April 1, 2011 from Jane Massey, PhD, Associate Director of Research and Evaluation, citing 2010 data
from Dallas County Appraisal District for census tracts 101.01, 101.02, and 102.
27
Personal communication March 30, 2011 from Joleen Bagwell, Director of Development and Marketing for Los Barrios Unidos
Community Clinic, citing Texas Department of State Health Services data for 2006/2007.
28
Area #7 fact sheet
29
The Trinity Trust website, http://www.discoverthetrinity.org/facts

West Dallas Demographics

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West

Dallas Community Collaborative

11.5 Sq. Miles

City of Dallas

Housing comparisons in

West Dallas census tracts14

36.8% 68.2% 54.8% 46.6% 42.7% 31.5% 45.4% 39.9%

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