Dallas’ Park Row Avenue faces rampant drug activity and survival sex work, with community advocates seeking more police presence and city resources.
DALLAS — On Park Row Avenue in South Dallas, neighbors said the quality of life is challenging day and night.
“During the day, you see it, but at night it’s a whole different world where it’s Gotham City,” said Ms. Ruggs, a community advocate.
The 1800 block is less than a mile from the historic South Boulevard Park row. The street stretches 800 feet, where vacant lots and makeshift shelters outnumber homes. Residents and advocates said it is plagued by visible drug activity and individuals selling sex to survive. It happens at night and in broad daylight.
“It’s like fight or flight,” Ruggs said.
Louis Harrell, founder of the Men of Nehemiah, a Christian addiction treatment program for men, called the area “where warfare happens.” His group uses military-style discipline to address addiction and provide a positive presence in the neighborhood.
“The difference that 60 men make, the presence of men,” Harrell said. “We march throughout the city. We cut the grass. We start here at ground zero.”
“It’s that fear of having to come home and walk into that circumstance or situation due to the fact of someone else’s state,” said David Woods, Men of Nehemiah.
WFAA spent time on the block to observe what residents experienced. Condoms and empty alcohol bottles were scattered throughout the neighborhood’s beautification area. Individuals engaged in survival sex were seen throughout the block.
“I wouldn’t want for anybody to have to go through that or see that,” said Patricia Mora, DPD Deputy Chief of the Southeast Division.
Through a public records request, WFAA obtained the Dallas Police Department’s 911 call logs from January 2024 through April 23, 2025. At least 45 calls were made from the area. More than 20 showed “No Police Action.” Records also showed police responded to only two calls.
Mora said prostitution and open-air drug sales are categorized as “quality of life” issues, which are considered lower priority than violent crimes.
“You’re looking at a lower priority call, which is going to take again, on average, a little bit over four hours,” said Mora.
The majority of the calls made on this stretch of Park Row were listed as Priority 2, which DPD defines as “urgent.” The others were Priorities 3 and 4. Only one was a Priority 1 call, which involved a shooting.
“Police officers are getting pulled in all different directions,” Mora said. “I know a lot of people have heard, you know, that we are lacking the manpower.”
Dallas City Councilman Adam Bazaldua, who represents the area, said that is not acceptable. “My residents don’t want to hear excuses,” Bazaldua said. “Especially when I have seen the difference in response times in other parts of the city. Our city has done a really good job of neglecting South Dallas.”
Bazaldua said there is a lack of equity with South Dallas being made up of majority Black and brown communities and high concentrations of poverty.
“What we see on a regular basis with some of the most important policy decisions for our city is the loudest voices being North Dallas affluent, and white,” said Bazaldua. “I need our city manager to understand the importance of truly addressing things through equity. That means that some who we have focused on and prioritized for many years need to take a seat…I also have seen the difference in resources devoted to areas of the city where council members kiss the police’s ass. And that’s the reality.”
Those working on the street also said they feel invisible.
“No one else looks out for us but us,” said one woman, who described herself as a survival sex worker. She wanted to remain anonymous. She said she began working along Park Row to support her children after leaving her husband.
“I do what I do because I have to right now, but that doesn’t make me who I am,” she said. She cited a lack of resources, such as affordable housing, as a major barrier.
“By the time I get my check, I have to save this check and this check just to make rent,” she said, crying. “Then once I save these two checks to make rent, what the f*** are we going to eat?”
Community advocates said solutions are possible with more police presence, city resources, and community partnerships.
“It’s heartbreaking because you absolutely want to meet people where they’re at,” said Geoff Aguilera, a community advocate.
Dallas Police said they will increase patrols in the neighborhood. The department said an ongoing investigation has already led to several arrests. Bazaldua said the city is upgrading street lighting, with more than 5,800 lights replaced in his district so far.
On July 31, Dallas Police posted to their Facebook page the following statement:
In July 2025, the Dallas Police Department’s Special Investigations Division, along with the Northwest Division Prostitution Taskforce, launched a multi-day, targeted operations in the Northwest and Southeast Patrol Divisions to combat prostitution-related crimes.
The operations resulted in 22 people arrested, including 19 women for Prostitution (Seller), a Class B misdemeanor, two human traffickers (one with gang affiliation) for outstanding warrants, and the third, for Evading Arrest, a Class A misdemeanor.
For now, residents and the Men of Nehemiah continue their efforts — day and night.
“We deal with broken people,” Harrell said. “I like to say that the longer something falls, the faster it falls. Our society is just falling.”
That is why he and other advocates are choosing to build up the community themselves. They said they deserve and want better.