The future of one of the largest apartment complexes along Fort Worth’s troubled Las Vegas Trail is uncertain after the city filed suit against it Friday.
“We did the usual stuff we do, which is we get on to them about code compliance violations and if they don’t fix it we take it to the next level,” said Councilman Brian Byrd.
Byrd’s been part of a task force that’s spent the last several months looking at ways to curb crime and improve quality of life along the corridor that’s less than a mile long but home to thousands.
“I was talking to a lady who said somebody was shot and killed on her back porch. All you have to do is look at the crime statistics for this area, and it bears out that it’s not safe. The apartment owners have to be a solution to that,” said Byrd.
Friday’s suit against the Mira Monte apartment complex follows several conversations between the owners and city.
“My goal is that Mira Monte takes a second look at how they’re running themselves, reinvests their profits into the property and the people who live there instead of just taking the profits home,” said Byrd.
If it doesn’t, the city will take control to shut it down, which both they and residents hope will put an end to a flurry of crime and drug related problems.
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“Unfortunately two weeks ago, there was a homicide right here. Somebody shot and killed. And I think our team said, that’s it. If they’re not going to respond in the way that they should, we’ll take legal action to make sure that they do,” said Byrd.
Should that happen, Byrd says there are plans to work with residents one on one to help them relocate. The city would then repurpose or tear it down to make way for a community park.
“Maybe then I can bring my kids down here. But until then, I don’t think I’d want my kids exposed to this type of environment, especially what goes on there,” said Jaque Delafuente who lives behind Mira Monte.
NBC5 tried reaching out to Mira Monte for comment but were unable to reach staff.
