The declining south/central areas of Haltom City need attention now

HALTOM CITY, TX, November 24, 2023 /24-7PressRelease/ — More than two years ago, the Haltom United Business Alliance (HUBA) approached the City Council to express concern about ongoing decline in the city’s south and central areas and offer some real-world solutions for their review. Since that time, HUBA has continued to advocate for action, even hiring an independent third-party consultant to take a look at the situation. To date, the council has not offered any type of response on the ideas that were submitted at all – positive or negative – and has not even acknowledged the third-party report.

In an effort to educate citizens about the situation, HUBA has teamed up with the Make Haltom City Thrive Again (MHCTA) campaign to create a series of easy-to-watch videos. In each brief video, HUBA founder Ron Sturgeon talks about one or more issues at hand.

In a video entitled The Concept Plan for a Declining City, Sturgeon highlights the basic steps needed to move forward. Simply put, Haltom City needs to identify the problems at hand, accept the reality of the situation, outline a plan to address each issue, and then execute. The use of a consultant might help, though Haltom City has hired engineering consultants in the past with little achieved, mostly because suggestions revolved around the use of public money. Sturgeon, says, “There is no public money to speak of, certainly not for this kind of endeavor.” For that reason, HUBA’s position is that the Concept Plan should include strategies to encourage private investment by developers and small business owners.

Sturgeon has repeatedly emphasized the importance of giving stakeholders a seat at the table – residents, property owners, and business owners alike. Stakeholder engagement is the best way to learn about the issues at hand and come up with reasonable ideas for turning things around.

He has also repeatedly said that Haltom City is not alone, that cities across the country are experiencing similar urban decline, and that there is much to learn from their efforts. Haltom City resident M Rhodes agrees based on a recent Facebook post: “Haltom City management should look at other small towns that are more successful (Mansfield, Keller, even Watauga, for example) and borrow a few ideas.” One thing is for sure, Sturgeon says, Haltom City needs a better value proposition than surrounding cities to attract businesses. He adds, “This is a competition, and some cities are going to do better than others. One thing Haltom City could do to jump start things is to change or eliminate parking minimums in the beleaguered corridors.”

The full video series can be found on the Make Haltom City Thrive Again website video page. If you’re a resident or business owner, be sure to check it out.

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 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.

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 HUBAgrp@gmail.com. Visit the group’s Facebook at Haltom United Business Alliance.

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