Fort Worth Building Standards commissioners recently dealt with several cases involving substandard, uninhabitable properties.
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Fort Worth Building Standards Commission
Regular monthly meeting
Documenter name: Lou Chapman
Agency: Fort Worth Building Standards Commission
Date: July 28, 2025
See more about this meeting at Documenters.org
PRE-MEETING
- Call to order. Commissioners present: David Castles, District 1; Brian Black, chairman, District 4; Stephanie Dike, District 7; Al Alu, vice chairman, District 10
- Review of previous month’s minutes. There was no discussion pertaining to the June 23 meeting.
- Discussions of questions concerning cases on the current agenda. Seven cases were removed without comment.
- Request for future agenda items. None
- Any requests by commissioners. Chair requested police who appear before the commission have their cases moved to the top of the docket during the public session if available and possible.
- Adjournment
REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING
I. Call to order
II. Pledge of Allegiance
III. Consideration of Building Standards Commission minutes from the June 23 meeting. Commissioners made no comments or changes.
IV. Presentation of the evidentiary packet for cases on the current agenda. Done
V. Swear in interpreter. Done
VI. Swear in those who plan to give testimony. Completed en masse
VII. Cases to withdraw from today’s agenda
Cases withdrawn: HS-25-73; HS 25-80; HS2581; ACP 25-77; ACP-25-81; ACP-25-83
VIII. Commissioners’ lunch break
IX. New cases, residential
- HS-25-62 (CD 2) 2705 Holland St. (primary and accessory structure(s) aka Lot 19 Block 46, MG Ellis Addition, City of Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas. Owner: KP Properties. Lienholder: John Botts and Anson Financial
Case background: Marilyn Turner-Mims, city code enforcement open plans officer, said the case originated Feb. 27 by code enforcement officer Max Morris, and the city sent three notices to the owner: Feb. 27, March 1 and May 8. The city inspected the property July 10 with owner Joseph Yammine. The inspector found the house to be in substandard and hazardous condition. It was separating at the joints, subfloors were bowing or broken, plumbing was broken or disconnected, the breaker box was damaged, foundation appears inadequate and separating, floor unsupported throughout – no water surface, outdoor open storage, electrical turned off after an illegal connection was discovered. Yammine told commissioners he received none of the notices. Black asked Yammine to describe his plan for curing the substandard and hazardous condition. Yammine said he had sought 90 days notice and received 30. Black asked Yammine how long he’s owned the property. “A long time,” Yammine responded. Yammine said he has not received rent since December. The tenants were still there a few weeks ago but have now vacated, he said. In response to a question by Black, Yammine said he’s cleaned the building out since his tenants left. He blamed the property’s problems on homelessness and “a lot of illegal activity” in the area. He asked for 90 days to bring the property to code. “The house is in good shape; it’s not like they said,” he said of the staff assessment and photos shown to commissioners. Dike asked Yammine if he’d received permits yet. Yammine said he had not made requests as of this meeting. In response to questions from Doddy and Dike about why he hadn’t sought permits, Yammine said his tenants were sick and he was out of town. Yammine said, “I’m trying to get the funds together to fix the house.” He says he needs to borrow the money, and it takes time because “these people are out of town.” He conceded he has no plan of work, no permit requests and no funds, and again asked for 90 days. The city staff requested a repair-or-demolish-within-30-days order. Yammine told the commission, “You guys are biased.”
Action: Doddy moved to declare the property substandard, with an order to repair or demolish in 90 days. Alu seconded the motion. “I’m going to trust the owner to get things done,” he said.
Black said he didn’t support the 90 days because the owner has no work plan and no funds. Castles proposed giving Yammine 45 days to repair or demolish, as a middle ground. Dike asked what Yammine would have to complete within 90 days. Castles proposed getting the work going and then having the owner seek an extension. Doddy suggested 90 days to get funds, plans and permits. The motion was amended to 45 days instead of 90. The motion carried 6-2.
- HS-25-75 (Council District 11) 4018 Medford Road (accessory structure) aka Lot 4, Block 8, Stratford Addition, City of Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas, according to the map or plat thereof recorded in volume 204, page 80, of the plat records of Tarrant County, Texas. Owner: Alavi Investments LLC. Lienholder: None
Case background: Jason Pittman, senior city code compliance officer, said the case began with a citizen’s complaint on June 13. The city inspected the property July 17 with the owner present. The accessory structure is missing brick and siding; brick walls are failing and collapsed; window frames and windows are broken; and the foundation is unlevel, “in violation of the minimum standards.” The owner had decided to tear it down since last week, but the house itself (not the backyard structure) has a historical designation. The owner is going through the steps to obtain permission to repair the house. The city staff requests that the accessory structure be declared substandard and hazardous and that the owner be issued a 30-day notice to repair or demolish. Allison Ramos, representing the owners, requested 60 days because they are awaiting approval of the certificate of occupancy. Permit is pending, she said. “Everything is pending,” she said. Black noted the owner can request an extension within 30 days. The commission voted 8-0 to declare the accessory structure substandard and hazardous and 8-0 to issue a repair-or-demolish-within-60-days order.
3) HS-25-77 (Council District 3) 7732 Chapin Road and HS-25-82 (the land) (primary structure) aka Lot 17, Lot 18, and the east one-half of Lot 19, Block 9, Bankhead Estates, recorded in Volume 388-A, Block 121, Deed Records of Tarrant County, Texas. Owner: Fog Family Revocable Living Trust. Lienholder: Washington Mutual Bank Goodleap LLC.
Case background: Richard Montelius, a Fort Worth code officer, said the case originated in late January as the result of a serious fire on that date. The structure is vacant and secured and in “substandard and hazardous condition,” with walls collapsing, plumbing melted or nonworking due to fire, outlets and electrical in “complete system failure”; and unsafe second-floor subfloor and joists. The city had several contacts with the owner’s representative and gave them 30 days to repair or demolish.
Testimony: Owner Phyllis Greer said the family was home when the fire started. Her daughter suffered a heart attack in February, she said, and their contractor XP Restorations is working on a restoration and has essentially gutted the house with nothing left “except the boards.” “We just want to get our house back. … We’re hoping it is going to be complete in January,” she said. Insurance gave them a year. “It is almost a 100-year-old home. We just want our home back.” XP Restorations representatives said they were asking for six to eight months to complete the restoration. They offered to present a scope of work, but don’t have a work schedule with dates.
Action: Staff and commission said the most they can offer is a 90-day window without a schedule of work. They can amend the permit later. A commissioner moved the building be declared substandard and issued a repair-or-demolish-within-90-days order. The motion passed 8-0.
4) HS-25-78 (CD 11) 4416 Quails Lane (primary structure) aka Lot 5, Block 4, Whitehall Addition, second filing, to the City of Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas, according to the plat filed in Book 388-3, Page 132, Deed Records of Tarrant County, Texas. Owner: Louis Mitchell and Gloria Mitchell. Lienholder: None
Cased background: Jason Pittman of the staff said the case originated in late January after a fire. The structure is vacant and secured. Walls, roofing, plumbing and electrical systems were damaged in the fire. Other fire damage was due to a lack of building code standards in the original structure. Keith Mitchell of Kennedale appeared for the owners, his parents. They requested a repair-or-demolish-in-90-days order, with their full work plan and start dates. Jamie Davis, of the contractor XP Restorations, told commissioners permits are in the approval process. The work will take six months, and the applicants asked to return in 90 days and show progress. Dike moved approval of a motion for an order to repair or demolish within 90 days. The motion passed 8-0.
5) HS-25-79 (CD 6) 5620 Como Drive (primary structure) aka Lot 16, Block 19, Harlem Hills Addition, City of Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas, according to the plat thereof recorded in Volume 1717, Page 429, of plat records of Tarrant County, Texas. Owner: Melvin Watts. Lienholder: None
Case background: Richard Montillias of the code enforcement staff, said the case originated in October 2023 after a fire at the location. The city sent notices to the owner in October and November 2023 and January and July 2024. There are no active permits. City staff inspected the property June 25 with a representative of the owner. The primary structure is unsafe and substandard, with a partially collapsed ceiling and walls, as well as issues with plumbing and electrical systems. The staff asked the commissioners to approve an order to repair or demolish within 30 days.
Discussion: A caregiver to the owners told commissioners they have a plan to fix the house and had insurance coverage, but didn’t receive information the city was considering demolishing it. Black asked how long it would take to repair the damage. The caregiver responded 90 days and said she’s been obtaining quotes. Commissioners asked questions to clarify who owns the property.
Action: Commissioners approved a motion, 8-0, to declare the property substandard and hazardous. After some discussion, they approved a motion 8-0 to give the owner 60 days to repair or demolish.
- ADMINISTRATIVE CIVIL PENALTY CASES RESIDENTIAL
- ACP-25-71 and ACP-25-72 (Council District 8) 1405 Stafford Drive aka Lot 25, Block 6, Highland Hills Addition, City of Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas, according to the plat recorded in Volume 388-3, Page 118, of the Deed Records of Tarrant County. Owner: Dixie Mary Jackson. Lienholder: None.
Code enforcement background: 14 inspections since an initial citizen complaint; nuisance abatement order in June. Staff is requesting a civil penalty of $4,400.
Testimony: Rosita Jackson, one of the owners, testified the property “is under compliance now, did it over the weekend.” She said her two brothers live there; one is mentally ill and “brings junk home” and “gets violent and distraught when we try to talk to him about it.” Code staff said the property appears to be about “95% cleaned up.”
- ACP-25-74 (CD 9) 4563 Glacier St., aka Lot 4, Block 2, Southwayside Addition, City of Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas, according to the plat thereof recorded in Volume 388-L, Page 89, of the plat records of Tarrant County, Texas. Owner: Esperanza Camarillo, Sigifredo Camarillo and Norma Camarillo. Lienholder: None
Case background: Joshua Washington, city code enforcement officer, said the case began with a citizen complaint in January 2024. Four city inspections followed. The city issued two citations before a nuisance abatement order June 2, 2025. The last inspection was July 24. The city staff requests a $4,400 penalty and removal of items within 30 days. City staff said some progress has been made by the owners toward mitigating the health hazard — about 50%. Speaking through an interpreter, and answering Black’s questions, Norma Camarillo said she thought 30 days to clean up was sufficient and she has the necessary resources.
Action: Commissioners approved a $2,200 civil penalty by an 8-0 vote, and a motion to abate in 30 days by an 8-0 vote.
- ACP-25-78 (CD 11) 704 Sargent St. aka south half of Lot 18, Block 5, Fishburn Little Farms Addition, City of Fort Worth, Tarrant County, Texas, according to plat recorded in Volume 1170, Page 359, Deed Records, Tarrant County, Texas. Owners: Eugene Oehler and Bill Homes. Lienholder: SSM Company, the United States of America
Case background: Case initiated Jan. 3, 2024, by a code officer. Since then, the city has initiated 18 inspections, the most recent on July 24. The city did initiate a nuisance abatement order, which has since expired. Mike Phipps, who lives nearby, told commissioners the occupant of the home lives in his car, not the house. The owner allows vagrants to live there and sex offenders to use it as an address. “The owner does not and has not ever had control of this property over the years,” he said. Drug addicts live in the backyard, he said.
Action: Commissioners approved a $13,200 fine, 8-0, and a motion 8-0 giving the owner 30 days to clean the site up.
If you believe anything in these notes is inaccurate, please email us at scott.nishimura@fortworthreport.org with “Correction Request” in the subject line.
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