What to Know
- Fort Worth City Council approved a public improvement district for stretch of Lancaster Avenue just west of downtown.
- Through a 10-year property tax, money will be raised that will go toward private security, cameras, lighting and more to improve safety.
- The public improvement district marks the 20th approved by Fort Worth City Council
Changes are on the way for a part of Fort Worth.
The city council approved a public improvement district last week to help a 5-mile stretch of East Lancaster Avenue between East Loop 820 and Riverside Drive.
"People don't want to shop here anymore because they get hassled or panhandled… we want to try to correct that or try to encourage businesses to come here," Don Boren, a board member for the East Fort Worth Business Association, said.
Through a 10-year property tax, money will be raised that will go toward private security, cameras, lighting and more to make the area safer.
Boren, who also lives and works in the area, said the tax will cost the owner of a $250,000 property around $700.
"The majority of property owners agreed to tax themselves to provide additional security services," he said.
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However, Nancy Kline, who has owned Smith's Balloon Works & Homecoming Headquarters for nearly 30 years, was not on board with the tax.
"I don't think that's the answer for this area," Kline said.
Kline said she had never felt unsafe at her shop.
"We don't have any trouble down here," she said.
Boren said a lot of businesses aren't interested in opening on Lancaster Avenue, and he hoped the improvements would change that.
"What we would like to see is more diverse businesses relocate here, particularly businesses that are consumer friendly, that we really need," Boren said.
The stretch of Lancaster Avenue will be Fort Worth's 20th public improvement district.
Boren said a library on East Lancaster Avenue that was a part of a 2016 Fort Worth bond program would open in the next year.
