At a time when Fort Worth is one of America’s fastest growing cities, what has gone wrong to hold Haltom City back?

HALTOM CITY, TX, March 14, 2024 /24-7PressRelease/ — According to World Population Review, in 2024, Haltom City has a population of 45,051, a decline of 2.03 percent since the 2020 census recorded the population of Haltom City as 45,983.

“Slow population growth has turned to decline for Haltom City at a time when approximately 1000 new people per day are relocating to North Texas, many of them to fast growing Tarrant County cities like Fort Worth,” said Haltom United Business Alliance Communications Director Joe Palmer.

It’s fair to ask, what’s gone wrong? What’s holding back Haltom City?

Local Businessman Ron Sturgeon, founder of www.makehaltomcitytriveagain.com, thinks he has identified part of the problem and has proposed solutions. “Current city leadership is focused on growth in the newer north side of the city with all the shiny new buildings and big warehouses,” said Sturgeon.

“City leaders don’t have a plan for South and Central Haltom City, the older parts of the city.” Until they get interested in bringing the small businesses back to the main corridors, the decline will continue, and population will continue to fall, according to Sturgeon.

“It’s pretty simple, if you are thinking of moving into the area (almost 1,000 daily moving to NTX), you will drive through the main corridors of the cities, and Haltom City will instantly jump to the bottom of your list, with over 29% vacancy rate on Denton Highway, its main corridor,” Sturgeon said. The big grocery store, CVS Drug Store, and even the well-done new coffee shop all closed.

Joe Palmer asked this question: “Why would any large business come to the corridor where the other large businesses have left? All we can hope to do is attract small businesses, one at a time. Instead, Palmer insists, the city is on a tear to eliminate even existing small businesses.

“There’s no reason Haltom City can’t encourage more startups by revising its use matrix,” he added. “When unnecessary zoning regulations are in place, as they are in Haltom City, they can hurt everyone – builders, businesses, residents and homebuyers – and slowly destroy a community. The damage can be undone, but for that to happen, it’s critical for city leaders to revise harsh zoning laws.

One step Haltom City could take to address this issue would be to modify or eliminate unnecessarily prohibitive code restrictions. Stringent land-use laws, especially parking regulations, serve as a major deterrent to redevelopment of older buildings in Haltom City. Many other cities and states have eliminated parking minimums, a Google result reveals. “I have heard personally from several potential business owners who could not remodel older buildings because of parking minimums,” Sturgeon says, adding, “Haltom City doesn’t have to be the last city to take this step, they seem to be decades behind other cities, they still don’t allow liquor sales either.”

“Haltom City could remove these unwieldy parking mandates, which are often ineffective and inefficient,” Sturgeon said. He believes Haltom City leaders need to take a closer look at existing land-use regulations that are preventing startups from filling vacant buildings in the older parts of Haltom City.

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 that 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 HUBAgrp@gmail.com. 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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