15Years 15Years ofCommunity TofCommunity Transformation ransformation
Jesus says, "I am the light of the world. Whoever follows me will never walk in darkness, but will have the light of life".
– John 8:12
Seek Justice. Love Mercy. Walk Humbly.
Micah 6:8
- 2024
“But thanks be to God, who in Christ always leads us in triumphal procession, and through us spreads the fragrance of the knowledge of him everywhere."
– 2 Corinthians 2:14
During our first fifteen years, Act has successfully represented 410 brave men and women to shut down 253 drug houses in Dallas and Fort Worth. We do this work because we believe in the concept of what the Bible describes as “Shalom” - a true spiritual and physical peace, or wholeness, where wrongs are righted and brokenness restored.
A reality where people can thrive.
For the neighborhoods we serve, the cascading effects of shutting down drug houses doesn’t just mean stray bullets aren't flying. It means their kids and grandkids aren't in the crosshairs and drawn into the drug trade before they reach the age of 10.
By permanently removing these drug houses from the community, we are not simply bringing relief for our 400+ brave clients - we are directly impacting more than 39,000 people who live within just one-tenth of a mile from those once crime-infested properties.
This impact changes neighborhoods and neighbors, leading to a deeper sense of community.
“It's a sad day when I can buy property and not really own it other people own it. Other people will make me a prisoner in my home. That's not right.”
- Reverend in West Dallas
The house terrorizing the neighborhood appeared ready to crumble: tattered sheets draped the windows, the lawn was overgrown, and junk was strewn across the backyard. The old structure drooped under the darkness weighing down its walls.
This property carried a long and troubled past. Police records from 2010 to 2014 documented drug arrests, stabbings, prostitution, disturbances, and even emergency childbirths. The house was a vortex of criminal activity, drawing in those who sought to exploit its chaotic environment. The owner had inherited the property through legal ambiguities and had an extensive criminal history. His connection to the house was as shadowy as his past, which included multiple charges for controlled substances and an aggravated robbery. Despite periodic raids and arrests, the property's illegal activities continued to shroud the neighborhood in darkness.
A single house had overrun the street with prostitutes and drug sales.
After spending seven years living next door, the parents of three children were exhausted from attempting to shelter their family from the illegal and violent activity surrounding them. Not only did they have to witness what was happening, but it was invading their lives and livelihood. Their truck, along with cash, was stolen in early 2012. They considered leaving the area due to the constant threat of danger and harm.
This family discovered other neighbors who were also fed up with the activity wreaking havoc on their neighborhood. Together, they united in their fear and determination to fight back against the decay brought by this notorious property. One among them, brave enough to take a stand, reached out to Act for help. Together, despite their fear, they united in their determination to fight back and dreamt of a day when their children could play outside.
On April 29, 2014, police executed a narcotics search warrant. They found multiple substances and a revolver and arrested several people. Unfortunately, what was seen as a significant breakthrough provided only a brief respite of a few weeks. The house continued to pose a threat to the community as the activity persisted, fueled by years of entrenched crime.
Act and these invested residents persevered. On June 9, 2014, a trial took place. Following years of endurance and dedicated efforts, the property was finally declared a private, public, and statutory nuisance and had to be sold or demolished by the end of the year. Ultimately, the property was demolished, along with the fear of crime creeping back. This was an incredible victory for this community after a laborious legal battle!
This case stands as a testament to the resilience of the clients Act serves. Their collective effort and refusal to be deterred brought an end to the reign of terror that had darkened their lives. For twenty years, they felt invisible, stuck in the shadow of the looming presence of this drug house. The property, now rebuilt with a family dwelling there, stands as a physical embodiment of renewal, embracing a second chance at life.
Justice was found, the veil of despair lifted, and peace restored.
“You shall love the LORD your God with all your heart, with all your soul, and with all your mind. This is the first and great commandment. And the second is like it: You shall love your neighbor as yourself. ” – Matthew 22:37–39
Whydowedothiswork?WearemotivatedbyChrist’s challengetoloveourneighborthroughthepursuitofjustice.
PursuingjusticeisattheheartofwhatwedoatActbecause justiceisaconceptthatoriginatedintheheartandmindof God.Micah6:8says, “Hehasshownthee,OMan,whatisgood,Andwhat doestheLordrequireofyou?Buttoactjustly,love mercyandwalkhumblywithyourGod.”
God’swordtellsusthatjusticeisreallyaboutcreating wholenessorpeace aworldrestoredandmaderight. Shalom thewaythingsoughttobe.
Isn’tthatwhatweallwant?Wholeness?Forourselves?For ourfamilies?Forourneighbors?AnduntilChristreturns andmakeseverythingrightonceandforall,wehavethe opportunityandresponsibilitytolivethisoutinourlivesand work bringingGod’sKingdomtoearthasitisinheaven.
LovingtheLordwithallourheart,soulandmind,andloving ourneighborasourselves,meanstakingactionsothat people and neighborhoods across our city have the opportunitytoflourish.
Love your neighbor as yourself.
As the sun set slowly over the historic block, darkness gently covered the streets and the gray house began to erupt with the unsettling buzz of nighttime activity. Cars lined the block, music blared, and figures moved in and out of the house with a practiced rhythm. Once a safe haven for families, the block was now a hot spot of illicit activity, a place stifled by tension.
In the small living room of a long-time resident, members of the neighborhood association gathered for an Act advocacy meeting. Overwhelmed with fear and frustration, residents shared memories of a time when their street was a place of community and trust. An elderly woman, who lived right next to the problematic house with her dog, spoke about finding drug baggies in her front yard and seeing people come and go at all hours.
Act’s staff listened intently, reassuring the residents that change was possible.
A first demand letter was sent to the property owner, detailing the community's concerns and urging immediate action. Hope began to bud in the hearts of the residents, despite the response being slow. Eventually, however, the owner denied responsibility, brushing off the complaints with a callous remark: "What do you expect from a neighborhood like this?" – a stark reminder of the apathy that had long tainted others’ view of their community.
Despite the demand letter, the activity on their street persisted. Traffic increased and gunfire became routine. The community's calls to the police seemed to vanish into the void. The neighbors’ frustration gave way to despair.
Late one night, hearts raced as the sound of automatic weapons rattled windows in a violent episode at the drug house. The situation had reached a breaking point. The clients’ hope began to wilt, but Act and our partner attorneys stood firm. A police ride-along for two clients was organized, which proved transformative. Seeing the police's dedication firsthand renewed the clients’ previously wavering strength.
As spring approached, a more urgent and assertive demand letter was sent, detailing the legal consequences of inaction. Despite the owner’s lack of response, the clients remained vigilant. Meetings were held, progress discussed, and the neighborhood’s collective resolve strengthened. Several weeks later, the property quieted. Act sent a final letter to the owner, documenting the positive changes and requesting an answer. As the days grew longer and spring turned to summer, the residents felt a renewed sense of safety. The silence at gray house spoke for itself by August 15, 2019, the case was officially resolved.
Now as the sun set, casting a warm glow over the historic street, the sounds of laughter and conversation filled the air once more. The struggle had been long and arduous, but the triumph sweet.
This street’s story is one of quiet transformation and the power of small, consistent actions. Lasting change often begins with one person willing to take one step, to plant a seed in defiance of despair hope can bloom even in the most challenging conditions.
“ThankyoutotheActteamforhelping
bringpeaceandsafetybacktoourstreet.”
“ItwasGodwhodidit.”
“Yes,butyouwereHisinstrument.” –Ms.T,Actclient
“Learn to do right; seek justice. Defend the oppressed. Take up the cause of the fatherless; plead the case of the widow.”
– Isaiah 1:17
We plan to continue to deepen our impact in Dallas and Fort Worth, working toward shutting down 81 drug houses across the two cities. Dallas and Fort Worth continue to struggle with the effects of drug houses and high crime. The influx of gangs from South America have been garnering headlines in both cities in the last few months. Sadly, the violence this influx is unleashing has an effect on us all.
Now is the time to really push to stop this in its tracks.
Over the last four years, the need for Act’s solution has grown. Sadly, the explosion of fentanyl has made this fight even more critical. Fentanyl is a synthetic opioid, meaning it has no agricultural components. It is entirely synthetic.
Just a few grains of salt worth of fentanyl is lethal.
It is a much more potent substance than heroin or other opioids. And because it is so inexpensive, we see the expansion of the use of fentanyl in other substances. A $3,000 investment in fentanyl yields a $1.5 million street value. Dealers mix fentanyl into pressed pills, other hard drugs, and even marijuana. The CDC has reported a 500% increase in overdose deaths between 1999 and 2022, with synthetic opioids like fentanyl making up 70% of those deaths.
Act’s first engagement with Fort Worth was through an invitation from the Fort Worth Police Department through a neighborhood police officer (NPO) who asked us to help on a property that had been troubling the street and neighbors since 2017.
The NPO shared about the prostitution, constant traffic, and drug usage occurring on the property. One neighbor shared frustration from not being able to get to his house because of the cars from the drug house blocking the street or the police conducting drug raids.
“Because of these drug houses, I regret moving back to this neighborhood. I used to be able to walk down the street, and now, I can’t do that safely.”
The neighbors were afraid of being hit by stray bullets connected to the drug activity. The neighbor living next door to the drug house witnessed people sleeping outside in tents in the backyard. The activity and use of equipment in the tents created a major fire hazard. As a result, our client would stay awake at night from fear of a fire spreading to his house. His bedridden mother would be helpless in the case of a fire.
While this property impacted all the neighbors, it takes a hero willing to stand up and risk their own safety to bring peace to their neighborhood.
Act found those heroes and worked with them to remove the criminal element from their street. The property owner denied the activity happening, but after being confronted by Act, he ended up selling the property. The new owners remodeled the home, and now all is quiet.
Our heroic clients’ bravery changed the street a street that had been plagued by the insidious crime that resonated from a drug house for at least 5 years.
Everyday heroes are standing up for what is right to bring peace to their neighborhood where there once was fear, this community has now settled into a silent night.
It takes all of us to bring about community transformation.
“I remain confident of this: I will see the goodness of the Lord in the land of the living.”
– Psalm 27:13
As we reflect on our first 15 years, we are humbled by the ways you have come along beside us in prayer, in being thought partners with us, and in giving so generously to fund the work.
We can only do this work because of individuals like you who step up to meet God’s call to love our neighbors.
Thank you for journeying with us. We are excited about the calling God has placed on Act for the next 3 years and beyond. Join us in this growth.
Now is a crucial time for Act, and we need the support of our stalwart partners more than ever.
We ask you to prayerfully consider joining us to make neighborhood safety a normal reality for all our neighbors and to see the goodness of the Lord in more communities across our city!
