Business Community Expresses Concern About Haltom City's Lack of a Plan to Revitalize South and Central Haltom City

    HALTOM CITY, TX, October 17, 2023 /24-7PressRelease/ -- For more than 24 months, Haltom United Business Alliance (HUBA) has been advocating for revitalization of the beleaguered south and central areas of Haltom City. To help, HUBA commissioned an independent business census that revealed a nearly 30 percent vacancy rate on Denton Highway.

In addition, the local business alliance has done many hours of research to present practical strategies for the city council to incorporate into its plan for revitalization. It presented a third-party study with recommendations to the city. To date, not one of HUBA's suggestions has been considered by the council, and the city has no plan to bring the businesses back to South and Central Haltom City.

"HUBA has made a variety of suggestions to the city, including revising the table of uses so that Haltom City would have a competitive advantage in attracting small businesses in a variety of categories when compared with the nearby cities it competes with," said Joe Palmer, HUBA's Communications Director.

"HUBA has suggested tracking inquiries from businesses that want to start or relocate to Haltom City to see where they drop out of the development funnel, something the city has refused to do," said Palmer.

HUBA has asked the city to review its parking minimums because eliminating parking mandates would be a big help in getting the older buildings in South and Central Haltom City occupied again, according to Palmer, like many other older cities have done.

In addition to eliminating parking minimums, the city could create special zones that include the hardest hit corridors of South and Central Haltom City and adopt form-based zoning for these areas. Form based codes eliminate the red tape and cost of changing among similar uses and would spur development in South and Central Haltom City, Palmer says.

Haltom City is not alone when it comes to the decline of its inner-city areas. In fact, HUBA founder Ron Sturgeon co-authored a book on the subject titled Keeping the Lights on Downtown in America's Small Cities. The book outlines common problems and talks about reasonable and cost-effective solutions affecting many older cities, large and small.

"Haltom City needs to recognize that current zoning code discourages inner-city revitalization" said HUBA Communications Director Joe Palmer. Obsolete zoning codes tend to inhibit incremental growth and encourage sprawl. Added Palmer, "Haltom City would be wise to follow the lead of nearby Mansfield, Texas, and approve form-based codes in certain areas of the city. Mansfield consolidated more than a dozen codes and simplified requirements for signs, land use, and architectural design while building in flexibility for reasonable exceptions."

As part of his advocacy work, HUBA Founder Ron Sturgeon launched the Make Haltom City Thrive Again campaign and is now providing a free copy of his book to any Haltom City resident or business owner who would like one. "I am offering the new book, the second edition, to Haltom City residents who are interested in a brighter future for Haltom City that includes more jobs, more choices of goods and services and more small businesses filling spaces that are vacant right now in South and Central Haltom City." Over 7,000 visitors have been to his website by the same name, and he continues to hear stories of people who couldn't open a business in Haltom City.

To get a free copy of the book, send your name and address to Ron at [email protected].

The book includes a concept plan for revitalization that would be a good place for the city to start in creating its plan to bring businesses back to South and Central Haltom City, according to Sturgeon.

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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