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Fort Worth staff present clearer classifications for congregate living facilities; city seeks registration approach
Summary
City staff outlined proposed changes to zoning and registration for congregate living facilities for persons with disabilities, explaining which facility types the city regulates and which are under state authority; councilmembers asked about half‑mile spacing rules and registration of existing homes.
City staff presented an informational report on Feb. 11 to the Fort Worth City Council that clarifies categories of congregate living facilities, explains the limits of municipal authority for certain facility types, and proposes a phased registration approach for group and community homes.
What staff said: Lashandra (last name not specified in the transcript), a development‑services staff member, walked council members through definitions in the zoning code and how the city’s authority differs by facility type. “Boarding homes are the only type of facility the city actually has jurisdiction over,” Lashandra said, and staff explained that community homes and group homes are regulated and licensed by the state.
Why it matters: Council members have cited confusion in the zoning code and inconsistent application of spacing rules, which affects neighborhood planning and enforcement. Staff said the review is intended to align city categories with state definitions to reduce ambiguity for applicants and residents.
Key details and staff approach - Staff described several categories (community homes, boarding homes, group homes) and said the state determines permitted numbers for some categories—for example, a community home’s capacity is set by state rules (presenters said six is allowed by the state in that category). - The city’s current half‑mile spacing rule applies to some categories (staff confirmed community homes and boarding homes are subject to a half‑mile radius restriction; group homes were described as not subject to the half‑mile rule in the same way). - Staff proposed registering new facilities as they apply and working to identify and register existing facilities over time. The process would mirror the city’s prior approach to boarding homes, staff said.
Council responses and next steps Council members indicated support for registration and clarity. “I just want us to go with the option of registering those group homes,” one councilmember said during the discussion. Staff said they will continue discussions with code‑compliance and then return with implementation details, likely starting with new facilities and then bringing existing ones into a registration process as the city identifies them.
Bottom line: The informational report aims to align city land‑use classifications with state licensing categories, clarify where Fort Worth has regulatory authority, and establish a practical registration program to improve enforcement and transparency for congregate living facilities.
