Fort Worth’s ‘NET Force’ making progress with chronic nuisance properties
FORT WORTH, Texas - The city of Fort Worth is going after businesses that are considered to be a public nuisance based on a high rate of code violations.
Fort Worth Nuisance Properties
The backstory:
FOX 4 first reported on "NET Force," the city’s new Nuisance Enforcement Task Force, in December.
The pilot program was designed to proactively target and enforce compliance at chronic nuisance properties across the city.
Fort Worth launches 'NET Force' crackdown on chronic nuisance properties
Fort Worth has launched a new Nuisance Enforcement Team (NET Force) to proactively target chronic problem properties, with a high-crime motel being one of its first major targets.
Unlike the city’s old complaint-driving model, the task force set out to conduct its own inspections and seek compliance before problems escalated.
Now, progress is being made.
What's new:
Code Compliance Director Brian Daughtery identified the top three violators as an east Fort Worth apartment complex, a long-standing motel, and a pair of southside convenience stores.
The Sandy Oaks Apartments has more than 800 violations. The Eco Motel on Lancaster Avenue has racked up more than 400 code violations and there have been 80 violations at Southside by Rocky and Rocky’s II food marts.
"They range. They could be as simple as they need to paint the exterior of the building all the way down to sewage issues, whether it be plumbing or electrical of that nature," he said.
Daughtery shared video of recent multi-departmental inspections at each property. The departments range from environmental, animal services, building code, police, fire and others.
What they're saying:
Daughtery said the city is using every tool at its disposal to try to clean up these properties.
"They could make all the proper repairs, permits everything, clean up the crime issues and we’re not out there. They could decide to demolish the properties on their own based on there’s just too much and the fines coming in. They could sell the property. There’s a lot of different avenues that it could go. We just need movement toward compliance," he said.
What's next:
If the issues aren’t properly addressed by the coordinating deadlines, the city’s next tool involves the Building Standards Commission.
"That order gives a timeframe to the owner. It says you have 30, 60, 90 days. What have you done to bring the property into compliance or the city has authorization to repair remove, demolish, or assess civil penalties," Daughtery said. "I believe all these owners we’ve been communicating with are making an effort. Whether it’s enough, time will tell."
The Source: FOX 4's Dionne Anglin gathered information for this story from an interview with Fort Worth Code Compliance Director Brian Daughtery, as well as past news coverage.