We Need a Plan to Revitalize the Declining Areas of Haltom City

    HALTOM CITY, TX, January 16, 2024 /24-7PressRelease/ -- With city council elections just a few months away, it is more important than ever that voters educate themselves about the issues faced by Haltom City. For this reason, the Make Haltom City Thrive Again campaign teamed up with the Haltom United Business Alliance (HUBA) last year to create a series of brief videos that lay out problems and suggest possible solutions when it comes to the decline seen in the south and central areas of the city.

"It's time that we create a plan to solve and revitalize the southern and central parts of Haltom City," says HUBA founder Ron Sturgeon. Sturgeon frequently stresses the importance of being open to a variety of different businesses rather than trying to restrict competition. He also points out that every member of the city council lives in the northern part of the city where growth and development are happening, perhaps making it too easy for them to turn a blind eye to the situation in the south and central areas.

Sturgeon himself drives by the abandoned and boarded up buildings on a daily basis and often hears from residents and business owners. In a recent Facebook post, Resident Josh Pool commented "The fact is, the city as far as I can tell is doing nothing to address the potholes, the crime, the abandoned buildings, etc. These things are bringing property values down and folks are moving out which means there will be less of a tax base to fix said issues. I like Haltom City. I think it has a ton of potential, I just think people need to ask questions about why nothing is improving and get answers instead of pacifying ourselves by taking about the few glimmers of hope we do have."

Sturgeon has often been asked about the suggestion to "find one rich investor," and clarifies that no single investor is going to buy up all the old buildings no matter how wealthy he or she may be. "You haven't solved the problem… the problem is that you can't get tenants quickly enough to repopulate all these old buildings." What you need to do is find one plumber who wants to open a plumbing supply store, find one ballet school that is willing to renovate some of the space in an old strip mall, and so on. He is quick to point out that he wants to help the city reform, which is the only path to getting more businesses. He adds, "I don't want to deliver fish; I want them to learn how to fish."

Last year, the Make Haltom City Thrive Again campaign posted a draft Concept Plan on its website. Ron has since heard from people who don't like the concept plan and says "I'm sure there's something on the plan that people – a person – won't like… but does that mean we should throw the whole plan out? By the way, not one other person, not one other group, has submitted an alternative plan." No one has offered to edit the plan either. "So, we really need to get some pro-business people and we need to get a plan."

About Haltom City
Haltom City is a diverse, majority working-class city located between Dallas and Fort Worth in Tarrant County, TX. Haltom City is minutes from both the DFW Airport and Downtown Fort Worth with direct access to major highways including I-820 and SH-121. Due to an outdated and restrictive use matrix that discourages new business and deters growth, several areas of Haltom City have seen a decline in small businesses which provided goods and services and were a significant source of jobs, including the once-thriving automotive industry. However, Haltom City can reverse this trend and should prioritize development of inner-city land and vacant buildings, particularly in the major corridors close to the city's center. The city is financially healthy with a capable manager and staff who would like to see diverse business development occur and need the support of the City Council to make it happen.

About Haltom United Business Alliance
Haltom United Business Alliance (HUBA) wants to give members of Haltom City's business community an advocate and to keep those businesses informed about issues that affect them. They want to make sure Haltom City is business friendly and nurtures small business growth, including automotive businesses in the industrial districts, and bring more restaurants including breweries and eventually a major grocery store to the city. New businesses and growth in existing businesses will create a stronger tax base which will allow the city to pay its first responders wages that are competitive with surrounding cities while improving Haltom City's facilities and infrastructure. HUBA believes that the southern and central parts of the city need a revitalization plan, to prevent further degradation in those areas, and wants that to happen before the inner-city experiences increased crime and more blight. As retail and office uses are in decline, it's more critical than ever to attract new businesses. They believe that such a plan requires a strong relationship and support of the business community. Anyone who owns a business in Haltom City is eligible to join HUBA. Dues are $20 annually or $50 for a lifetime membership, and membership is 100% confidential. To join, contact Joe Palmer at (682) 310-0591 or by email at [email protected]. Visit the group's Facebook at Haltom United Business Alliance.

About Make Haltom City Thrive Again
Make Haltom City Thrive Again is a movement to return prosperity to the older parts of South and Central Haltom City by luring the small businesses that have left over the past decades back to Haltom City. A vibrant business community not only allows for greater employment and choice of goods and services, but also can ease the tax burden on residents. The movement is led by local entrepreneur and business owner Ron Sturgeon. For more on Sturgeon's ideas and background, check out his book, Keeping the Lights on Downtown in America's Small Cities and watch the videos on his Facebook page. Ron is also the founder of the Haltom United Business Alliance (HUBA) which represents existing business interests in Haltom City and promotes growth of diverse businesses. HUBA is not a political action committee and does not endorse candidates. If/when Ron endorses candidates, he will do so on his own via the Make Haltom City Thrive Again organization.

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