The fifth largest city in Texas, Fort Worth was founded nearly 150 years ago, as a settlement around a frontier fort. Its reputation was built mainly on livestock processing and meatpacking. Throughout its history, Fort Worth has often competed with Dallas, which is a mere 30 miles away. As transportation and public infrastructure improved during the past 50 years, independent suburban cities expanded into the area separating the two cities.
The Consolidated Plan for Fort Worth uses a total of $12 million in funds. Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds account for $8.2 million; HOME Investment Partnership (HOME) program funds account for $2.4 million; Emergency Shelter Grant (ESG) funds account for $284,000; and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) program funds account for $479,000. Program income has generated an additional $600,000.
Fort Worth's long history of citizen participation simplified the task of developing the Consolidated Plan. In 1992 the city sponsored a Vision Coalition Committee of 450,000. In an effort to identify area housing and community development needs, more than 1,000 people participated in a citywide Town Hall meeting, which was complemented by a major telephone survey.
More recently, the city's Empowerment Zone/Enterprise Community application brought residents and community leaders together for over 20 meetings and hearings. Although the application was not awarded, these meetings and hearings generated considerable information on community needs, and this information was used to complete the Consolidated Plan needs assessment. This material was submitted to a citizen steering committee and an interdepartmental city staff committee for approval.
Public hearings, print media contacts, and telecommunications opportunities ensured additional citizen participation. Fort Worth not only published notices of housing and community development meetings in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram but also maintained an Action Center hotline that encouraged citizen comments. As a service to its residents, the city offers ongoing access to current housing and community development activities through a community cable television channel.
MAP 1 depicts points of interest in the jurisdiction.
Although the city has expanded an average of 47.4 square miles per decade between 1940 and 1990, its population has increased only 2.5 times, rising to a 1990 total of 470,000. In 1990 African Americans and Hispanics comprised 41 percent of the city's population. However, both groups had poverty levels that were disproportionate to the total population, with 32 percent of African American households and 26 percent of Hispanic households living below the poverty level.
Most African American households reside in the eastern and southeastern sections of the city, with one neighborhood being located on the northside near Meacham Airport. Most Hispanic households, which are largely Mexican American in origin, reside in the Stockyards District in the northern section of the city, and near Town Center Mall in the southern section.
MAP 2 depicts points of interest and low-moderate income areas. MAP 3 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, and minority concentration levels. MAP 4 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, and unemployment levels.
The suburbanization of the Fort Worth/Dallas area has had a major impact on urban development within both cities. Fort Worth contains less than 34 percent of the estimated population of its Primary Metropolitan Statistical Area (PMSA) and receives a shrinking share of the tax base. Furthermore, the city's median household income is lower than the overall PMSA, but its percentage of affordable and deteriorated housing is greater.
Although Fort Worth's economy has traditionally contained a high percentage of manufacturing activity, the combined effects of technology, industrial reorganization, and reductions in defense spending have enacted major changes. In 1970 the manufacturing sector employed about 40 percent of the area's population, but by 1990 that number dropped to 21 percent. During the 1980s cuts in defense expenditures as well as drops in the oil and real estate markets drastically affected Long, a major manufacturer of military hardware.
Although the area is beginning to recover, effects of the recession linger. In August 1994, Fort Worth's unemployment rate was 6.9 percent, versus the national rate of 5.9 percent. Inner-city areas experienced even higher unemployment rates of 8.4 percent. Furthermore, high crime rates have discouraged business retention and investment in those neighborhoods.
Between 1980 and 1990, Fort Worth's housing stock grew by 38,398 housing units, while the number of households increased by only 24,242. However, the 1990 vacancy rate of 13.5 percent and the surplus of units can be misleading. Almost one-quarter of the vacant units were not available for rent or purchase, and 85.6 percent of the units built during the past 10 years have six rooms or less, making them unsuitable for larger households. Even in 1995, construction of single-family housing outpaced multifamily housing by a margin of 2 to 1.
In the suburbanization boom of the 1950s, many middle-class residents relocated to the suburbs, leaving many of the city's older neighborhoods. Lower income households began moving into these neighborhoods, but as the housing aged, it required maintenance and rehabilitation that many residents simply could not afford.
In inner-city areas, most of the land available for new housing construction consists of small tracts and individual lots. As a result, new construction is in full development, which has comparatively lower land costs and land preparation costs because of existing urban infrastructure. The relatively few medium to large tracts of land suitable for residential development are located near high value properties, which have high development costs.
According to the 1990 census, 17 percent of persons in Fort Worth lived below the poverty level, versus 7 percent for the overall PMSA. Many of these persons lived in older, deteriorated housing units. Low-income and moderately low-income households comprised 63 percent of all renter households and 38 percent of owner households.
Of all the city's households, 65 percent are white, with more than 51 percent of them having incomes over 80 percent of the mean family income (MFI). African American households comprise less than 20 percent of all households, and nearly 50 percent of them are extremely low-income (0-30 percent of MFI). Hispanics comprise 13 percent of all households, and almost 40 percent of them are extremely low-income. Overall, minority households comprise 40 percent of all renters and 29 percent of all homeowners.
Just under 40 percent of the 9,871 extremely low-income owner-occupied households pay more than 50 percent of their income for housing expenses, while over 63 percent of them pay more than 30 percent. Extremely low-income renters experience similar cost burdens.
Only 13 percent of the 9,674 low-income (31-50 percent of MFI) homeowners pay more than 50 percent of their income for housing expenses, while 40 percent of them pay more than 30 percent.
In 1994 Tarrant County collaborated with the local Homeless Coalition to conduct a survey of the homeless population. The survey found 1,574 homeless households in the county on any given day. The majority of homeless people were minorities, with 35 percent being African American, 16 percent Hispanic, and 4 percent Asian American or Native American. Almost half had some type of part-time employment.
The area shelters reported large increases in the number of single males and women with children. They also reported a decrease in the number of veterans. In Fort Worth the greatest need among existing services for the homeless was transitional housing that offered appropriate supportive services, with only 371 of these units being available.
The city participates and its homeless population is service by 22 shelters providing services countywide, including: the Tarrant County Human Services Department, Presbyterian Night Shelter, Union Gospel Mission, the Bridge Association, Open Arms Home in North Richland Hills, Cornerstone Assistance Network, Catholic Social Services, Women's Haven, and the Mental Health Housing Development Corporation.
The Fort Worth Housing Authority (FWHA) develops, owns, and operates 1,427 units of public housing, including 5 developments for families, and 2 for the elderly and persons with physical disabilities. As of November 1994, the occupancy rate was 95 percent.
The FWHA also owns 72 units of Section 8 housing in Lincoln Terrace Apartments, which have an average waiting list containing 2,500 families. The FWHA also administers 1,907 Section 8 certificates and 620 vouchers. In 1992 the FWHA closed the waiting list to all persons who could not meet at least one of HUD's three Federal preferences and income guidelines for eligibility.
The Consolidated Plan for Fort Worth identified the following barriers to affordable housing:
Because fair housing violations in the region are expensive, the Fort Worth Human Relations Commission, a city government department, provides individuals and organizations with technical assistance related to fair housing, equal employment opportunity, and compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act. In addition to holding 10 annual seminars that discuss fair housing issues, the Commission also handles discrimination complaints filed by Fort Worth and Tarrant County residents.
Despite these efforts, potential clients are often misdirected because specific and accurate information about the services that various agencies offer does not exist. To resolve this problem, Fort Worth needs a centralized Housing Information Center, a resource handbook, and a multilingual multimedia educational program that will inform citizens of their rights.
Currently, the Commission is conducting an analysis of impediments to fair housing.
Although a comprehensive assessment of the city's lead-based paint problem has not been conducted, the 1990 census found that 91,395 housing units (47 percent) have the potential for lead-based paint hazards. A review of Department of Health records revealed that during 1994, the city documented 386 cases of children with elevated blood-lead levels.
Fort Worth has addressed the problem of lead-based paint hazards by:
In 1994 a survey conducted by Tarrant County found a total of 2,179 persons with HIV/AIDS. Of that total, 64 percent were white; 23 percent were African American; and 7 percent were Hispanic. Furthermore, 84 percent were males. Tarrant County Samaritan Housing, Inc., a 32-unit single-room occupancy facility, is the sole provider of permanent supportive housing for persons with HIV/AIDS.
Additional assistance comes from the AIDS Outreach Center, which offers short-term rent/utility assistance through HOPWA and which offers a variety of other services, such as case management, through other funding sources. Fort Worth has determined that because adequate medical services exit for this population, funding decisions should emphasize rent/utility assistance, nutritional assistance, and case management for homeless persons with HIV/AIDS.
The Consolidated Plan for Fort Worth identified the following community development needs:
Fort Worth endeavors to create a livable, vibrant city by promoting a solid economic base, building strong neighborhoods, and ensuring safety throughout the community.
The Consolidated Plan for Fort Worth identified the following housing priorities and some strategies designed to meet those aims.
Priorities that provide housing opportunities and supportive services for homeless individuals and families include:
Priorities that advance homeownership opportunities for low- to moderate-income households include:
Priorities that create programs to address affordability problems for cost burdened low- income renter and owner-occupied households include:
Priorities that rehabilitate housing stock include:
Priorities that improve accessibility and safety in the homes of low- and moderate-income persons include:
The Consolidated Plan for Fort Worth identified the following community development priorities and some strategies designed to meet those aims.
Priorities that support at-risk youth include:
Priorities that improve existing neighborhood structures include:
Priorities that improve employment, training, and technical assistance opportunities include:
Priorities that increase awareness of crime and safety issues include:
Priorities that improve housing choices include:
The city of Fort Worth, other governmental agencies, the private sector, and nonprofit organizations collaborate to provide economic development, housing, and social service programs, which are designed to reduce the number of families living below the poverty level. Among the programs offered to low-income families are:
The Consolidated Plan for Fort Worth identified the following housing and community development resources.
The Fort Worth Department of Housing collaborates with various agencies and organizations in order to implement the Consolidated Plan. The city's public agencies include: the Department of Fiscal Services Intergovernmental Affairs and Grants Management Division (IAGM), the Department of Planning and Growth Management, and the Department of Parks and Community Services. The IAGM is responsible for monthly reports, onsite reviews, and the coordination of independent audits of all subrecipients who receive at least $25,000 in CDBG funds.
MAP 5 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded projects. MAP 6 is a map, sectioned by neighborhood, which depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded projects. MAP 7 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded projects within one of the four neighborhoods indicated in MAP 6. MAP 8 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded projects within another of the neighborhoods indicated in MAP 6. MAP 9 depicts points of interest, low-moderate income areas, unemployment levels, and proposed HUD funded project(s) from a street level vantage point; as well as, provides a table with information about the project(s) .
The key projects incorporated in the Consolidated Plan for Fort Worth include: