HALTOM CITY, TX, June 10, 2025 /24-7PressRelease/ -- A growing number of Texas cities are embracing the concept of parking reform. Time and again, research shows that decades-old parking mandates have become a significant barrier to progress. Not only do they impede the ability to attract business development, but they seriously hamper the development of affordable housing in urban and suburban areas as well.

According to a coalition of small business owners known as the Haltom United Business Alliance (HUBA), some of the city's older corridors (e.g. Denton Highway, Carson, NE 28th Street, Belknap) have become glaring examples of what happens when insufficient action is taken by city leadership to address a problem. Targeted strategies are needed to reverse decline and spur redevelopment of the ever-growing number of vacant buildings in these areas. Parking reform alone could make a big difference in starting to get the situation turned around. Unfortunately, while planning and development leaders have been focused on improving some of the newer areas of Haltom City, they have allowed the older corridors to fall further into a state of decline.

Unlike Haltom, several other cities in Texas have stepped up and taken action. In 2019, Houston strategically eliminated parking minimum requirements for certain Midtown and Downtown East neighborhoods, while the town of Bastrop eliminated them completely. Austin made news in 2023 when they voted to eliminate parking minimum requirements for virtually all types of properties citywide, and similar reforms are currently under review in Dallas, Fort Worth, San Antonio, and El Paso.

Meanwhile, Texas State Representative K. Richardson recently proposed a statewide bill entitled RESTRICTION ON REGULATION OF MINIMUM PARKING REQUIREMENTS which states "a municipality may not adopt or enforce an ordinance, rule, or other regulation that requires a minimum amount of parking spaces for a commercial building" to take effect in September of this year. The caveats are that state and federal laws would still apply for accessible parking and that the law would only apply to new construction.

According to HUBA Communications Director Joe Palmer, the proposed legislation is great for Texas in terms of new construction. However, when it comes to Haltom City, parking reform must go further and encompass its aging neighborhoods as was done in Houston. "The growing number of commercial vacancies in the south and central areas of Haltom City should be considered an urgent call to action for city leadership. Unused buildings have the potential to be redeveloped into affordable housing or repurposed for new business uses, but that simply will not occur unless city leadership adopts policies to encourage investment and revitalization in these areas." Eliminating parking minimums in targeted areas would be a step in the right direction.

Ron Sturgeon, one of the founders of HUBA, says, "it's not clear to me why Haltom has been so resistive to changes, and especially when a simple google search shows a host of cities with success stories on this issue, revitalizing their declining older sections." He continues, "city staff are so focused on bringing big businesses to the growing north side, and they've completely ignored the central and southern part of the city, as vacancies rise." He adds, "especially puzzling is that many cities have made a very simple change to their code, to effect change quickly, by adding the word 'may' within their code for required parking requirements. Such a change could be made in a few months with just a few council meetings."

To learn more about this issue, feel free to contact Joe at HUBAgrp@gmail.com. You might also be interested in the resources available at the Parking Reform Network. Among other things, the organization offers sample legislation, guides for activism, blogs, podcasts, and even a Parking Mandates Map that attempts to keep track of parking reform activities as they occur across the country and beyond.

About Haltom United Business Alliance
Haltom United Business Alliance (HUBA) wants to give members of Haltom City's business community an advocate and to keep those businesses informed about issues that affect them. They want to make sure Haltom City is business friendly and nurtures small business growth, including automotive businesses in the industrial districts, and bring more restaurants including breweries and eventually a major grocery store to the city. New businesses and growth in existing businesses will create a stronger tax base which will allow the city to pay its first responders wages that are competitive with surrounding cities while improving Haltom City's facilities and infrastructure. HUBA believes that the southern and central parts of the city need a revitalization plan, to prevent further degradation in those areas, and wants that to happen before the inner-city experiences increased crime and more blight. As retail and office uses are in decline, it's more critical than ever to attract new businesses. They believe that such a plan requires a strong relationship and support of the business community. Anyone who owns a business in Haltom City is eligible to join HUBA. Dues are $20 annually or $50 for a lifetime membership, and membership is 100% confidential. To join, contact Joe Palmer at (682) 310-0591 or by email at HUBAgrp@gmail.com. Visit the group's Facebook at Haltom United Business Alliance.

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