Far from ordinary, close to everything
Far from ordinary, close to everything
Salaries and benefits $6,047,705
Operating and maintenance $6,887,577
Transfer out and other $10,131,000
Created in 2015, the Neighborhood Services Department implements programs that promote economic independence, sustainable housing, and healthy successful neighborhoods. The department partners with residents, businesses, non-profits, and other governmental entities to support community development, social services, and human capital development.
The goal of the Neighborhood Services Department is to enhance the quality of life for residents by strengthening neighborhoods. Services are delivered through the following divisions: Housing and Community Development, Administrative Financial Services; Neighborhood Development and Revitalization; Compliance; Planning/Reporting; Rehabilitation and Home Improvements; Community Services; Neighborhood Community Centers; and Directions Home.
The Housing and Community Development Division is focused on the development of affordable housing and the management of community improvement projects funded by federal grants. The Division manages the annual City policy review of projects applying for federal housing tax credits and supports the Fort Worth Housing Finance Corporation in incentivizing the development of affordable housing. This division also administers the Neighborhood Empowerment Zone (NEZ) program.
The Administrative Financial Services Division oversees the department’s budget, finance, grant management, accounts payable, procurement and human resources functions. It also administers affordable housing loans and the City’s homebuyer assistance programs (HAP).
The Community Services Division oversees seven of the City’s network of Neighborhood Community Centers and two Community Action Partner (CAP) centers. The centers provide recreational, leisure, and essential human services primarily in low-income neighborhoods. This division also delivers more than $27 million in state and federal grant-funded social services to eligible households in Fort Worth and Tarrant County through the Community Action Partners program.
The Neighborhood Development and Revitalization Division addresses systemic neighborhood issues and fosters resident self-sufficiency through the coordination of the Neighborhood Improvement Strategy (NIS). This division uses the Neighborhood Profile Area data developed by the Development Services Department to select NIS areas. Additionally, it supports the entire department by providing community outreach/communications for all neighborhood-based programs that the department operates and manages. Also, this division administers the HUD grant-funded Social Service contracts with non-profit agencies.
The Rehabilitation and Home Improvements Division delivers home repair services to low-income homeowners through the Priority Repair, Weatherization, Healthy Homes, and Lead Safe programs. This division performs housing quality inspections on all affordable housing assisted by department activities.
The Planning/Reporting Division ensures that the city continues to receive approximately $20M in federal grants annually, through preparing the Consolidated Plan (ConPlan), and the Action Plans regulations, preparing HUD required performance reports, and maintaining the Key Performance Indicators (KPI).
The Compliance Division enforces regulatory compliance through training and monitoring activities for HUD grants.
The Directions Home Division transferred from the City’s Management Office in January 2022. This division coordinates housing services and resources for homeless and at-risk of homelessness families and individuals living in Fort Worth and Tarrant County. Responsibilities includes overseeing $3 million in city funds to reduce homelessness and keep clients housed, work with community partners to align resources and processes to most effective reduce homelessness, and facilitating development of permanent supportive housing to reduce chronic homelessness.
The total requested is $40,000,000
For the Housing Affordability Bond Program
The total requested is $13,136,747
The grants included under this Action Plan are the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG), HOME Investment Partnerships Program (HOME), Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG), and Housing Opportunities for Persons with AIDS (HOPWA) Program. The total amount of HUD grant funds expected to be received is $13,136,747, which includes $100,000 in estimated program income.
The Action Plan includes policies, strategies, programs, and projects that will enable the City to achieve its mission of working together to build a strong community. This mission focuses on building strong neighborhoods, developing a sound economy, providing a safe community and fostering a healthy environment. The Action Plan promotes HUD’s three main statutory objectives: Provide Decent Affordable Housing, Create Suitable Living Environment, and Create Economic Opportunities.
The Action Plan includes policies, strategies, programs, and projects that will enable the City to achieve its mission of working together to build a strong community. This mission focuses on building strong neighborhoods, developing a sound economy, providing a safe community and fostering a healthy environment. The Action Plan promotes HUD’s three main statutory objectives: Provide Decent Affordable Housing, Create Suitable Living Environment, and Create Economic Opportunities.
preservation and rehabilitation of existing housing stock (Single Family/Multifamily Homes), including major repair, minor home repair, acquisition/rehabilitation, lead hazard reduction and abatement, health and safety repairs, and related home repair or housing development activities
accessibility improvements in both public and private (housing) spaces through ADA improvements to community centers and other public facilities for low income special needs residents to ensure that physically disabled persons will have full access
programs that support self-sufficiency including adult basic education, employment training and job placement programming for low-income households designed to promote self-sufficiency and household stabilization
promote homeownership, affordable housing development, and Fair Housing (renter/owner); support single-family and multifamily housing development. This includes direct homebuyer assistance, homebuyer education and housing counseling.
educational and support services/programs preparing children/youth and their families for success; includes reading/literacy support, tutoring, mentoring, training and enrichment programming for children in low income households and/or neighborhoods
public service programming to support seniors aging in place in their homes in the neighborhood; including providing meals, transportation, and other support services targeting persons ages 62 and older
includes a diverse variety of activities including the following: improve neighborhood transportation infrastructure (streets, sidewalks, lighting, etc.); improve or make available neighborhood public facilities (parks, community facilities, etc.)
includes all types of services and housing for persons experiencing homelessness and persons at risk of homelessness with a goal of achieving permanent housing
Support programs and services to improve the mental and physical health of low to moderate income Fort Worth families