Other Acknowledgments

A Right to Stay grew out of grassroots neighborhood organizing and anti-displacement advocacy in West Dallas, where Builders of Hope CDC (BOHCDC) was first founded and which we continue to call home. In our efforts to combat gentrification and displacement in West Dallas, we realized that this work was needed on a much larger scale and in other neighborhoods throughout the city. 

As we cast an ambitious vision to effect meaningful policy change to protect West Dallas neighborhoods and vulnerable communities across the City of Dallas, we were incredibly fortunate to meet immeasurable support from generous funders, expert policy advisors, project partners, community stakeholders, and allies from across the public, private, and nonprofit sectors. 

First and foremost, we want to acknowledge the generosity of our project funders, JPMorgan Chase Foundation and The Dallas Foundation, without which we would not be in a position to carry out this vitally important work. Special thanks to Michelle Thomas and Drexell Owusu, who believed in the vision from its very inception. 

Our policy advisors, Heather K. Way and Dr. J.H. Cullum Clark, both recognized as national leaders in housing policy, provided invaluable advice and guidance as we developed and vetted both our citywide mapping methodology and our specific local policy recommendations. Heather Way also spearheaded and co-authored the very first anti-displacement policy toolkit in Texas in 2018, “Uprooted: Residential Displacement in Austin’s Gentrifying Neighborhoods and What Can Be Done About It,” upon which this work is based and draws from heavily. 

Dallas College Labor Market Intelligence Center (LMIC) and Reinvestment Fund were our brilliant data partners. The Dallas College team was instrumental in collecting immeasurable amounts of neighborhood data that we used to develop our citywide mapping methodology as well as our neighborhood case studies. Reinvestment Fund served as a critical thought partner as we refined our mapping methodology and made sure it accurately and authentically reflected the lived experiences of vulnerable Dallas residents and neighborhoods.

Our engagement specialists, CoSpero Consulting, created diverse, accessible, and meaningful opportunities for community stakeholders to engage with our work and provide feedback, ensuring that community voices were consistently centered and uplifted throughout this process. 

Many thanks to The Shearer Group and Enisha Shropshire of Vector Strategies for providing critical support with project design, communications, and socialization, and for pushing us across that elusive finish line. 

Special thanks to our Builders of Hope CDC summer 2023 interns, Traelon Rogers and David Lewis, who conducted significant research and policy analysis, contributing to our neighborhood case studies and policy recommendations. Thanks also to Catherine Rosas, who assisted with historical research and content. 

Thanks to our incredible project Advisory Committee members who provided invaluable project guidance, oversight, and accountability over the last two years: Carina Arellano, Priscilla Escobedo, Matt Houston, Jonathan Maples, Mark Melton, Maggie Parker, Don Payton, Diane Ragsdale, Joli Robinson, Giovanni Valderas, and Hosanna Yemiru. Special recognition goes out to the Honorable Diane Ragsdale and Maggie Parker, easily the two most dedicated members of the committee who never missed an opportunity to provide feedback or support the project. 

We thank the City of Dallas’ Housing & Community Development Department for their support and collaboration and their stated commitment to prioritizing anti-displacement strategies in their policies and programs.

Finally, we thank our President and CEO, James A. Armstrong III, for his visionary leadership and commitment to bringing this project to life, and our Chief of Community Development and Policy, Stephanie Champion Martinez, for her dedication and tireless advocacy on behalf of vulnerable Dallas residents and neighborhoods.