About
In West Dallas, along the Singleton corridor the frustrating fight for Environmental Justice has been ongoing. Since 2021Singleton United along with Downwinders has been fighting to have GAF (an asphalt shingle company) removed from the community. The GAFs GOTTA GO/GAF VETE YA Campaign in West Dallas focuses on clean air for the community along with demanding the city both rezones and deindustrializes the area. They are also leading a national boycott and supporting multiple campaigns from Minnesota to Alabama to call for the regulation of the asphalt shingle industries.
Minnesota won their fight and we will too.
The Research
Since 2021, when the GAFs Gotta Go/ GAF Vete Ya campaign kicked off, we were able to partner with University Researchers to study the health of the Singleton United COmmunity. The following is just a list of research and reports completed in the area:
Singleton Corridor Neighborhood Led Plan
GAFs Gotta Go (Website)
- Environmental Protection Agency GAF Exit Timeline Report_Sept. 2024.pdf
- GAF Singleton Boulevard_Amortization Study_2023
- GAFs Gotta Go_The Case for Amortization_May 2022
Advocacy Goals
Downwinders has been working with SU to develop leaders in the fight for their neighborhood. In advocating and attaining that the Dallas Comprehensive Plan to have a theme of Environmental Justice, the community has been able to Use it as a tool to help shape their upcoming rezoning allow for more residential housing, the removal of heavy industry, and the investment in the community so it can grow and prosper along with the rest of Dallas.
By providing data driven proof of the disparity in health and life expectancy, the community is able to fight with real proof on their side.Once the consultant appraises the value of GAF, City Council will decide if there is enough funding to eliminate the facility BEFORE 2029, which the city has stated on record – has no written agreement between GAF and the City of Dallas.
Organizing Wins
The last 5 years have been long, but we have had some wins in the community:
- The placement of EJ policy in the comprehensive plan for Dallas.
- GAFs Gotta Go Goes National
- In an effort to increase the pressure on GAF, members of the GGG West Dallas campaign coordinated a joint action at the oldest GAF facility in the U.S.: GAF Minneapolis. Residents and EJ organizations in North Minneapolis near GAF had been dealing with similar environmental health issues and concerns for decades.
- We partnered with a dozen organizations from Texas to Minnesota and held a march and rally to GAF. Over 50 people participated, including a representative from Congresswoman Ilhan Omar’s office. Similarly to the Earth Day blockade in Dallas, GAF shut down operations for the whole day -something residents had never seen before.
- The beginning of rezoning the Singleton Corridor and the continual push to bring out large numbers of community members to tell the city what THEY want in the community.
- Publication of health study by Texas A&M University- College Station.
- Fund the Fund portion of the campaign won the fight for a 5 signature memo by D6 Council Member Laura Cadena, submitted in November of 2025 to fund a consultant to look into closing GAF.
- On Earth Day, April 2026, the city passed the funding of up to 200,000 to pay a consultant to look into the closing of GAF.
