Dallas councilman launches $1M fresh market to combat East Oak Cliff 'food desert'

OAK CLIFF, Texas - Dallas' district four city councilman, Maxie Johnson, in East Oak Cliff says new supermarkets are going up in parts of Dallas, but not in his part of Oak Cliff.

So, Johnson joined forces with a developer, and a grower of produce, to plant a fresh market in his district. 

Addressing the "food desert" gap

Local perspective:

As the property is vacant at Sunnyvale and Lea Crest in East Oak Cliff, across the street from the Deerpath Shopping Center, Johnson says he can't get big supermarket chains to move to this part of Oak Cliff. 

So he felt it was important to bring fresh vegetables and fruit to the neighborhoods.

"In the past, we worked to get H.E.B here. They don't want to come over here to Southern Dallas right now," said Johnson. "I've met with them in my office, and we have not gotten the support that we need, so instead of beating a dead horse and steadily saying ‘This is what we need,’ we're going to do something different."

$1 Million partnership for Southern Dallas

Dig deeper:

What is different is the partnership that's sprouted here. Between the landowner, a company called Mati-x who works in the fresh market space, and the city councilman who will help with the building that will go up here with a little more than $1 million city dollars. 

"Economic development discretionary funds for district four that we have we're working with a young lady that's over Mati -x and some of the developers we've gotten together, and we said what's the need that we have in our community," said Johnson.

Future of East Oak Cliff

The design includes a hydroponic system which will allow for greens and herbs to be grown fresh onsite. As city residents are sure, there is nothing else like this in East Oak Cliff.

What's next:

Maxie Johnson says all permits have been pulled, and the building work is now close to starting as they work to change the land and the landscape.