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The Lab Report Dallas

Co-founded by longtime local journalists Sharon Grigsby and Matt Goodman and powered by the Child Poverty Action Lab, this new publication uses data-driven journalism and storytelling to find what’s working in our city, what’s not, and why. Dallas has a new metro page. Sign up below to join us.

The Way We Measure Poverty Is Broken

Feb 18, 2026

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15 min read

The Way We Measure Poverty Is Broken

The formula that gauges each city's poverty rate remains tied to the America of 1963. Economist Cullum Clark explains what that means for families living in Dallas.

Sharon Grigsby
Sharon Grigsby
Where Did the Patrol Cops Go?

Feb 11, 2026

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19 min read

Where Did the Patrol Cops Go?

In 2021, after Dallas shifted its attention to curb violent crime, patrol numbers fell and response times skyrocketed. Those trends are changing, and so are the police department’s priorities.

Kelli Smith
Kelli Smith
How 2025 Set the Course for South Dallas’ Future

Feb 4, 2026

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18 min read

How 2025 Set the Course for South Dallas’ Future

City Hall worked with residents to design a new plan for development. The hard part is ensuring that the neighborhood benefits from its own growth.

Matt Goodman
Matt Goodman
The Data Screams: The Housing Crisis Is Here

Jan 28, 2026

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17 min read

The Data Screams: The Housing Crisis Is Here

It's more costly than ever to live in Dallas, a new report shows. Can faith-based solutions help make housing more affordable?

Matt Goodman
Matt Goodman
Surviving and Serving Through Housing

Jan 21, 2026

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22 min read

Surviving and Serving Through Housing

How two very different churches approached projects in Charlotte shows what is possible for the faith-based housing movement in Dallas.

Sharon Grigsby
Sharon Grigsby
This Church Could Be Your Home

Jan 14, 2026

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20 min read

This Church Could Be Your Home

In Dallas, long known as "the buckle of the Bible belt," churches are considering turning land and buildings into affordable housing. Charlotte, North Carolina, shows us how to pull it off.

Sharon Grigsby
Sharon Grigsby
These Stories Will Shape Dallas in 2026

Jan 7, 2026

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22 min read

These Stories Will Shape Dallas in 2026

The new year is here, and we are highlighting seven topics we'll be watching closely.

Matt Goodman
Sharon Grigsby
Kelli Smith
Matt Goodman, +2
The Housing Crisis Simmering in Lake Highlands

Dec 17, 2025

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17 min read

The Housing Crisis Simmering in Lake Highlands

The Dallas tax rolls this month received an enormous bump, which may spell trouble for 20 aging apartment complexes around Interstate 635.

Matt Goodman
Matt Goodman
When Mom Can't Come Home

Dec 10, 2025

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15 min read

When Mom Can't Come Home

Last year, a program that attracted national attention for reuniting incarcerated mothers with their kids faced closure. Angelica Zaragoza helped it expand instead.

Kelli Smith
Kelli Smith
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