After hearing from parents struggling to afford child care and congregations closing infant and toddler programs due to soaring costs, Dallas Areas Interfaith (DAI) leaders began organizing for a solution.

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On a Tuesday evening in mid-November, dozens of cars slow-rolled, bumper-to-bumper, along Northwest Highway, queuing to turn onto Hillcrest Road. Temple Emanu-El was this year’s host for Dallas Area Interfaith’s Reimagine Dallas...The group, which consists of about three dozen congregations of various faiths and denominations, has since 1984 organized around issues rooted in justice, making sure policymakers and other powerful people follow through on their promises.

“This is our moment to reimagine Dallas—not as it is, but as its residents want it to be.”

- Pastor Vincent Parker

Over 1,000 people representing over 30 congregations and non-profits from across Dallas united to “Reimagine Dallas” in 2026. Dallas Area Interfaith (DAI)’s event marked the culmination of ten months of organizing focused on transforming Dallas through action on immigration, affordable housing, and quality early childhood education.

For years, Dallas Area Interfaith (DAI) tenant leaders have shone a public light on the hazardous, unbearable apartment conditions they face, and urged city officials to develop solutions to hold landlords accountable. Despite paying market-rate rents, mold, rats, and leaky sewage are just some of the issues experienced by these tenants.

Almost a decade ago, DAI was at the center of a successful effort to overhaul the Dallas rental housing code. After years of continued organizing, leaders have now secured a mechanism to ensure the code is enforced.

In response to changes in immigration law enforcement and the upsurge in ICE detentions and deportations, Dallas Area Interfaith (DAI) is developing a legal representation strategy for people in detention.

Drawing more than 700 institutionally based leaders from across North Texas, Dallas Area Interfaith's 'Cry for Justice and Call to Action' tapped into fresh energy and galvanized new participation from all types of nonprofit organizations and denominations.  Pastor Vincent Parker of Golden Gate Missionary Baptist Church and Rabbi David Stern from Temple Emanu-El co-chaired the assembly, drawing on stories from active leaders around education, immigration, policing and housing. 

DAI leaders recognized Dallas Catholic Bishop Greg Kelly for Diocesan efforts around community policing and parish identification cards.  Interim Chief of the Dallas Police Department Michael Igo renewed the DPD's commitment to work with DAI, alongside a team of officers. 

Assembly co-chairs then put DAI members in the hot seat, challenging institutions to grow their organizing teams and increase their dues membership.  Members were challenged to individually report how much they would invest in DAI and which organizing teams they would join.  In response, twelve institutions committed enough dues to expand DAI's membership dues base by 60%!  

After Texas legislators passed the anti-immigrant Senate Bill 4, Dallas Area Interfaith (DAI) leaders didn’t lose hope. Instead, they reached out directly to the Dallas Police Department, engaging them in outreach to parishes and neighborhoods. Police Chief Eddie García responded by joining 50+ DAI leaders for two neighborhood walks, knocking on doors in immigrant communities to listen to residents' stories and reassure them of their ability to trust local law enforcement.

At St. Pius X Catholic Church, Chief García joined Bishop Greg Kelly, Gloria Lam, and Fr. Salvador Guzman, who organized the walk. A second walk, hosted by Our Lady of Lourdes Catholic Church, was led by Frays Angel Rios and Pedro Romero.

As Chief García transitions out of law enforcement, the Dallas Morning News highlighted his involvement in efforts like these as "interactions [that] created momentum" in building trust between the police and immigrants.

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You have to wonder what would become of the residents of Kendall Villas without advocates like Dallas Area Interfaith pressing the city on their behalf.

....city staffers were aware that many of Villanueva’s neighbors had concerns. A code compliance supervisor had talked to residents in April at the behest of Dallas Area Interfaith. The nonprofit said residents relayed stories about raw sewage leaking onto walkways, electric stoves sparking and mold in bathrooms. Based on their photos and video, and what I saw in person, I believe them.

DAI met again with city officials in May. The concerns persisted into June, when DAI hosted another meeting with city workers at Kendall Villas. A code compliance officer surveyed Villanueva’s collapsed ceiling, according to DAI representatives who were there.

DAI member and Kendall Villas resident Yazbeth Esquivel, 35, helped organize neighbors who had concerns. A handful of complaints trickled into 311 in May, and more than 30 came into the system at once in June....

[Photo Credit: Michael Hogue, Dallas Morning News]

Bad Landlords Make Dallas Housing Miserable. Why Can't City Crack Down?, Dallas Morning News [pdf]

¿Porqué Dallas Permite Que Propietarios Tengan Apartamentos en Malas Condición?, Dallas Morning News [pdf]

DAI tenant advocacy for improved conditions in low-income Bachman Lake apartment complexes continues to pay off, partly due to increased collaboration with bilingual housing code inspectors. Spanish speaking Dallas Area Interfaith leaders have been at the forefront of action, including meetings with City officials and educational meetings with residents.

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The bill would provide six months of Medicaid coverage to qualifying new moms....and could have a massive local impact.

More babies are born on Parkland’s Health’s insurance plan than in eight states. Extending coverage for those families would improve outcomes for tens of thousands of women in North Texas. Groups like Dallas Area Interfaith, a non-partisan, multi-ethnic, multi-issue group of religious congregations, schools, and other non-profits in Dallas, are working to get the bill passed.

The bill would also be a boon to the state by giving the mothers access to primary care and preventing downstream costs.  “HB 12 going to save the state money,” says Dr. Barry Lachman, a pediatrician and ...DAI [leader]. “What we spend in preventive services will pay off for these mothers.”

HB 12 remains in the State Senate’s Health and Human Services Committee.

[Photo Credit: iStock]

North Texas Rep. Toni Rose's Bill Would Add Coverage for new At-Risk Mothers, Again, D Magazine [pdf]