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Fort Worth Building Standards Commission orders repairs, grants extensions and levies two large penalties
Summary
At its March 24 meeting the Fort Worth Building Standards Commission declared multiple residential structures substandard or hazardous, gave owners deadlines (commonly 60 days) to repair or demolish, granted several extension requests, and approved civil penalties totaling $13,200 in two nuisance-abatement cases.
The Fort Worth Building Standards Commission on March 24 declared multiple residential structures substandard or hazardous and ordered owners to repair or demolish them within court-noted deadlines, while also issuing two civil-penalty judgments totaling $13,200.
The actions followed staff reports that properties posed health or structural risks from fire damage, water intrusion, missing wall sections, exposed framing and accumulated debris. City code compliance officers recommended deadlines ranging from 30 to 60 days; the commission unanimously approved the recommendations in each case or granted longer deadlines where owners requested time to secure financing or complete probate and sale arrangements.
Votes at a glance
- 5125 South Hampshire Blvd (HS25315125, primary structure) — Declared substandard and hazardous; owner ordered to repair or demolish within 60 days; motion by Jonathan Lydon, second by Charles Edmonds; vote 9-0. (City staff: Marilyn Turner Mims.)
- Administrative civil penalty for 5125 South Hampshire Blvd (ACP 25-30) — Commission issued no civil penalty and ordered outdoor nuisance abated within 60 days to allow interested parties time to remove debris and clear the site; motion by Stephanie Dyke, second by James Walker; vote 9-0. (City staff: Joshua Washington.)
- 2501 Moresby St (HS25-342501, primary and accessory structures) — Declared substandard and hazardous; owner ordered to repair or demolish within 60 days; motion by Charles Edmonds, second by Milan D. Dottie; vote 9-0. (City staff: Jeriam Olivares Perez.)
- 1205 True St (HS25-121205) — Structure declared substandard and hazardous; commission granted an amendment request for an additional 90 days for the owners to pursue sale or repairs; motion to grant 90 days by Stephanie Thompson; vote 9-0. (City staff: Jeriam Olivares Perez.)
- 2501 Rector Ave / 25264301 (HS25-264301) — Primary structure declared substandard and hazardous; owner requested and received 60 days to demolish or repair; motion to order 60 days by Ala Lou, second by Stephanie Dyke; vote 9-0. (City staff: Francisco Pino Duarte.)
- 3318 Roosevelt Ave (HS25-323318, accessory structure) — Accessory structure declared substandard and hazardous; owner ordered to repair or demolish within 30 days; motion to declare by Jonathan Lydon, second by Stephanie Thompson; vote 9-0. (City staff: Max Morris.)
- 2923 Clinton Ave (HS25-332923) — Primary structure declared substandard and hazardous; owner ordered to repair or demolish within 30 days; motion by Stephanie Thompson, second by Jonathan Lydon; vote 9-0. (City staff: Max Morris.)
- 1512 Langston St (ACP 25-31) — Commission assessed a civil penalty of $100 per day for 44 days (total $4,400) and ordered the owner to abate the nuisance within 30 days; motion to assess penalty by Charles Edmonds, second by Milan D. Dottie; vote 9-0. (City staff: Joshua Washington.)
- 2108 Stratford Park Dr (ACP 25-33) — Commission assessed a civil penalty of $200 per day for 44 days (total $8,800) and ordered the owner to abate the nuisance within 30 days; motion to assess penalty by Ala Lou, second by Ala Lou (motion second recorded); vote 9-0. (City staff: Joshua Washington.)
How the commission justified deadlines and penalties
City code compliance officers presented inspection findings for each parcel, citing breached siding, collapsed or missing walls, charred framing from fire, standing water and biological growth, exposed wiring, and accumulation of refuse that can harbor vectors. Joshua Washington, nuisance-abatement officer, told the commission that some properties had prior abatements or city cleanups and that the requested penalties reflect repeated noncompliance: “No measurable progress has been made since the nuisance abatement order was posted,” he said during the Langston and Stratford presentations.
Owners and interested parties frequently requested extra time. For example, owners or heirs of 5125 South Hampshire and 2501 Moresby asked for 60 days to clear squatters or complete probate to enable sale; the commission granted those requests. At 1205 True Street, heirs asked for 90 days while title and sale paperwork were completed; the commission approved a 90-day amendment to the order.
Appeals and next steps
Commission orders include standard appeal language: owners, lienholders and mortgagees of record have the right to request amendments (time-limited) or to appeal the commission’s order to the Tarrant County District Court within 30 days of the date the city mails the order. If owners fail to abate or repair within the ordered period, staff are authorized to enter properties, perform demolition or cleanup, and lien the cost against the parcels.
The commission also reminded attendees that it can only consider evidence presented at the hearing and cannot rule on land-use compatibility or highest-and-best use; those matters belong to Planning and Zoning or other city bodies. The commission recessed for lunch and reconvened to finish the scheduled items. The next meeting is scheduled to be held in the new Fort Worth City Hall; attendees were advised to check the posted agenda for the confirmed location.
