Fort Worth City Council Work Session Summary - October 20, 2026

The Fort Worth City Council held a work session on October 20, 2026, to discuss agenda items, organizational recognitions, and policy initiatives. The meeting featured two major presentations for upcoming votes, an update on nuisance enforcement, and several requests for future reports from council members.

Recognition and Awards

• Tarrant County Heart Walk: The City of Fort Worth raised over $22,000 from nearly 500 employees for the Tarrant County Heart Walk. Top fundraising teams included Finance (Heart ACHS) and the City Manager's Office. Top individual fundraisers were Josh Giles, Monique Washington, and Michelle McCullough.
• Community Impact Through the Arts Award: The Fort Worth Library Department, represented by Director Midori Clark, received the 2026 Community Impact Through the Arts Award from Texans for the Arts for initiatives including community gallery walls and the rehabilitation of the 512 West Fourth Street building for creative professionals.

Discussion Items

• Agenda Re-arrangement: The first three informal reports (IRs 026-0143, 0142, and 0145) and the Fire Chief Recruitment Process update were moved to the October 27 meeting.
• Fire Chief Recruitment: HR Director Christy Lemon stated that a consultant has been engaged for the fire chief selection process. Details on the selection panel are still being finalized.
• Litter Control: Dr. Cody Wittenberg presented the FY26 litter control program summary and a preview of FY27 events.
• Zoning Changes: Proposed council-initiated zoning changes for the East Lancaster corridor and text amendments to the Camp Bowie Boulevard Revitalization Code were discussed. Councilmember Martinez thanked staff for the successful open house on the Lancaster corridor changes. Councilmember acknowledged the importance of ongoing dialogue with the Como neighborhood regarding its role in the form-based code, and congratulated Dr. Sandra Stanley for her leadership.
• Future Agenda Requests (Councilmembers):
  • Councilmember Beck requested future presentations on industrial zoning and data centers, downtown height bonuses and office relocation incentives, employee reimbursement timeframes, and payroll audit frequency.
  • A presentation on state and local laws regarding e-bikes, scooters, and similar devices was requested from the Police Department.
  • An expedited IR was requested regarding city employee policies for taking time off to vote, given reports of wait times exceeding two hours at early voting locations.

Presentations

• Flora Brewer Bridge Program (Elderly Homeless Assistance):
  • Speaker: Tara Perez, Homeless Strategies Unit.
  • Program Overview: A new program targeting unsheltered homeless individuals aged 55 and older. Named after the late Dr. Flora Brewer, it provides 105 housing vouchers (valued at $1.7 million annually) from Fort Worth Housing Solutions and specialized case management to secure federal benefits and transition to higher levels of care.
  • Need: Unsheltered homelessness in Fort Worth has increased by 70% since 2020. Over a third of those served by street outreach are over 55. People experiencing homelessness die approximately 30 years earlier than the average person.
  • Funding: The city's cost at full capacity is estimated at under $350,000 annually. The Flora Fund at the North Texas Community Foundation is matching city spending dollar-for-dollar for up to five years. DRC Solutions will provide case management services.
  • Impact: The program is estimated to save $12,000–$13,000 per person per year compared to the $35,000 average annual cost of unsheltered homelessness. It is projected to serve over 250 seniors over 10 years.
  • Timeline: An MNC is scheduled for a vote on October 27, 2026. First housing matches are anticipated for January 2027.
  • Council Positions: Councilmembers expressed strong support for the program. Councilmember Peoples challenged the city to consider scaling the program beyond the initial 105 vouchers. Councilmember asked about identifying and resolving potential bottlenecks in the outreach-to-housing pipeline.
• Economic Development Agreement (Semiconductor Testing Facility):
  • Speaker: Brianna Brown, Assistant Director of Economic Development.
  • Project Overview ("Project H Turn Z"): A semiconductor testing facility by King Wan Electronics (KYEC) through its Texas subsidiary A Turn Z. This would be the company's first manufacturing facility in the U.S.
  • Investment & Jobs: Minimum $1.3 billion capital investment. Creation of at least 630 full-time jobs with a minimum average annual salary of $80,000.
  • Location: An existing building at 230 W. Everman Parkway in Council District 8, representing the largest investment on the I-35 South Corridor.
  • Incentives: A proposed 10-year tax abatement with an estimated city incentive value of $50 million (2.8% participation rate). The company is also pursuing state incentives via the Texas Semiconductor Innovation Fund.
  • Competition: The company is also evaluating one out-of-state site and another site in North Texas.
  • Action: The economic development agreement is scheduled for a vote at the October 27 council meeting.
  • Council Positions: Council expressed general support for the project.
• NetForce Update (Nuisance Enforcement Task Force):
  • Speaker: Brian Doherty, Code Compliance Director.
  • Program Summary: The Nuisance Enforcement Task Force (NetForce) uses a multi-department enforcement initiative targeting negligent property owners.
  • Pilot Results: Eco Motel saw six buildings declared hazardous, with substantial repairs underway. Southside Food Mart closed operations. Sandy Oaks Apartments corrected over 800 code violations. Central Motel is being demolished to avoid enforcement.
  • Current Status & Resources: The program expanded capacity with new FY27 budget positions. A live tracking dashboard is operational. Active cases include Cowboy Inn, Ranch Motel, and Central Motel. The department is working on a dedicated demolition fund.

Key Outcomes

• Items Deferred: Three informal reports, the Fire Chief Recruitment update, the Animal Shelter Bond Program presentation, and the Library 125th Anniversary presentation were deferred to later dates.
• Upcoming Votes (October 27, 2026): Council is scheduled to vote on the MNC for the Flora Brewer Bridge Program and the economic development agreement for the semiconductor testing facility.
• Council Requests for Future Work: Multiple requests for future presentations and informal reports were formally made by council members, covering industrial zoning and data centers, downtown height and incentive policies, employee reimbursement and payroll audits, e-bike regulations, and employee voting leave policies.