![\"Documenters\"](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/1754097731_863_cropped-Documenters_logo_v1.png\"){kind=logo}
<\/a><\/p>\nDocumenters<\/a> empowers people like you to help fill the gaps in reporting on Tarrant County public meetings. Find out how you can join here<\/a>.<\/p>\n Fort Worth Building Standards Commission<\/p>\n Regular monthly meeting<\/strong><\/p>\n Documenter name: <\/strong>Lou Chapman<\/strong><\/a><\/p>\n Agency: Fort Worth Building Standards Commission<\/strong><\/p>\n Date: July 28, 2025<\/strong><\/p>\n See more about this meeting at Documenters.org<\/a><\/p>\n PRE-MEETING<\/strong><\/p>\n REGULAR MONTHLY MEETING<\/strong><\/p>\n I. Call to order<\/strong><\/p>\n II. Pledge of Allegiance<\/strong><\/p>\n III. Consideration of Building Standards Commission minutes from the June 23 meeting. <\/strong>Commissioners made no comments or changes.<\/p>\n IV. Presentation of the evidentiary packet for cases on the current agenda. <\/strong>Done<\/p>\n V. Swear in interpreter. <\/strong>Done<\/p>\n VI. Swear in those who plan to give testimony. <\/strong>Completed en masse<\/p>\n VII. Cases to withdraw from today\u2019s agenda<\/strong><\/p>\n Cases withdrawn: HS-25-73; HS 25-80; HS2581; ACP 25-77; ACP-25-81; ACP-25-83<\/p>\n VIII. Commissioners\u2019 lunch break<\/strong><\/p>\n IX. New cases, residential<\/strong><\/p>\n Case background:<\/strong> Marilyn Turner-Mims, city code enforcement open plans officer, said <\/strong>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 \u2013 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\u2019s owned the property. \u201cA long time,\u201d 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\u2019s cleaned the building out since his tenants left. He blamed the property\u2019s problems on homelessness and \u201ca lot of illegal activity\u201d in the area. He asked for 90 days to bring the property to code. \u201cThe house is in good shape; it\u2019s not like they said,\u201d he said of the staff assessment and photos shown to commissioners. Dike asked Yammine if he\u2019d 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\u2019t sought permits, Yammine said his tenants were sick and he was out of town. Yammine said, \u201cI\u2019m trying to get the funds together to fix the house.\u201d He says he needs to borrow the money, and it takes time because \u201cthese people are out of town.\u201d 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, \u201cYou guys are biased.\u201d<\/p>\n Action: <\/strong>Doddy moved to declare the property substandard, with an order to repair or demolish in 90 days. Alu seconded the motion. \u201cI\u2019m going to trust the owner to get things done,\u201d he said. Case background:<\/strong> Jason Pittman, senior city code compliance officer, said the case began with a citizen\u2019s 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, \u201cin violation of the minimum standards.\u201d 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. \u201cEverything is pending,\u201d 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.<\/p>\n 3) HS-25-77 (Council District 3) <\/strong>7732 Chapin Road and HS-25-82 (the land) <\/strong>(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.<\/p>\n Case background:<\/strong> 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 \u201csubstandard and hazardous condition,\u201d with walls collapsing, plumbing melted or nonworking due to fire, outlets and electrical in \u201ccomplete system failure\u201d; and unsafe second-floor subfloor and joists. The city had several contacts with the owner\u2019s representative and gave them 30 days to repair or demolish.<\/p>\n Testimony: <\/strong>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 \u201cexcept the boards.\u201d \u201cWe just want to get our house back. \u2026 We\u2019re hoping it is going to be complete in January,\u201d she said. Insurance gave them a year. \u201cIt is almost a 100-year-old home. We just want our home back.\u201d 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\u2019t have a work schedule with dates.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n 4) HS-25-78 (CD 11) <\/strong>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<\/p>\n Cased background: <\/strong>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.<\/p>\n 5) HS-25-79 (CD 6) 5620 Como Drive <\/strong>(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<\/p>\n Case background: <\/strong>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.<\/p>\n Discussion: <\/strong>A caregiver to the owners told commissioners they have a plan to fix the house and had insurance coverage, but didn\u2019t 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\u2019s been obtaining quotes. Commissioners asked questions to clarify who owns the property.<\/p>\n 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.<\/p>\n Code enforcement background:<\/strong> 14 inspections since an initial citizen complaint; nuisance abatement order in June. Staff is requesting a civil penalty of $4,400.\u00a0<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n Testimony: <\/strong>Rosita Jackson, one of the owners, testified the property \u201cis under compliance now, did it over the weekend.\u201d She said her two brothers live there; one is mentally ill and \u201cbrings junk home\u201d and \u201cgets violent and distraught when we try to talk to him about it.\u201d Code staff said the property appears to be about \u201c95% cleaned up.\u201d<\/p>\n Case background: <\/strong>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 \u2014 about 50%. Speaking through an interpreter, and answering Black\u2019s questions, Norma Camarillo said she thought 30 days to clean up was sufficient and she has the necessary resources.<\/p>\n Action:<\/strong> 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.<\/p>\n Case background:<\/strong> 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. <\/strong>\u201cThe owner does not and has not ever had control of this property over the years,\u201d he said. Drug addicts live in the backyard, he said.<\/p>\n Action: <\/strong>Commissioners approved a $13,200 fine, 8-0, and a motion 8-0 giving the owner 30 days to clean the site up.<\/p>\n If you believe anything in these notes is inaccurate, please email us at scott.nishimura@fortworthreport.org<\/a> with \u201cCorrection Request\u201d in the subject line.<\/p>\n \n\tRelated\n<\/p>\n Fort Worth Report is certified by the Journalism Trust Initiative<\/a> for adhering to standards for ethical journalism.<\/p>\n Republish This Story<\/p>\n\n
\n
Black said he didn\u2019t 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.<\/p>\n\n
\n
\n
\n
\n
![\"Creative](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/us\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/06\/1750614464_36_cc-by-nd-4.0.png\"\/)
<\/a><\/p>\n