Twenty-three percent of Dallas’ population lives in poverty. A shortage of affordable housing and food deserts in parts of the city worsen the problem. The role of Dallas Leadership Foundation (DLF) through our DLF Neighborhoods program is to help leaders transform the neighborhoods they call home.

The aim of our Neighborhoods department is to equip local leaders in their efforts to reduce crime, increase community engagement, promote safety, and improve housing. 

When members of the community reach out to us, we start by using DLF’s own Neighborhood Vitality Assessment to determine the overall health of their community by measuring employment opportunities, education resources, safety controls, volunteerism, and health needs of residents.

Currently, we work in 12 target areas on a weekly basis to improve their vitality scores, create a list of community assets, establish and/or support Home Ownership Associations, and plan cleanup days, health fairs, surveys, prayer walks, and more.

Our team doesn’t dictate what the dreams for our neighborhoods should be; we let the community tell us what they hope for and then work to leverage our resources on their behalf.

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