FORT WORTH (WBAP/KLIF News ) – Fort Worth City Council will vote on extending its teen curfew and on whether to implement ordinances to regulate privately-run boarding houses at Tuesday night’s meeting.
The teen curfew bans minors age 17 and under from being out unsupervised from 11 p.m. to 6 a.m. Sunday through Thursday, and from midnight to 6 a.m. Friday and Saturday.
Councilwoman Elizabeth Beck said the ordinance has an impact on juvenile-related crimes.
“It’s really just a tool that we have to help keep our youth out of trouble and keep our streets a little safer,” she said.
According to the city, police have issued 120 curfew citations in the last three years, 72 in 2020, mostly from 15 and 16 year olds.
“For the most part, people are abiding by the curfew whether organically or they know it exists,” said Beck.
Violations can carry a fine of $500 for the minor, parent or guardian who allows the teen to break curfew.
The curfew has been in place for decades but state statue requires that council review and vote on it every three years. The current curfew is set to expire on Saturday.
The public is invited to voice their opinions about the curfew ahead of Tuesday night’s vote.
Anyone who wants to speak can register here.
Councilmembers will also vote on whether to implement an ordinance to regulate privately-owned boarding houses.
There are about 200 in the city of Fort Worth. Operators are not regulated because the homes are not considered as assisted living.
Councilwoman Beck said some of them are placing vulnerable residents in deplorable conditions.
“A lot of these are really predatory in nature. They take people’s social security and disability checks and they’re supposed to provide room and board. They provide a mattress on the floor and like a bucket to sit on and no food. There are five people to a room,” she said.
Beck said she was made aware of the situation from Fort Worth Police.
“Our Crisis Intervention Team does a lot of follow ups with folks that are at these types of homes. So the data that we have right now has really been gathered by them over the course of time that they’re in these homes and keeping a record of the address and locations,” she said.
The ordinance would outline health and safety standards. Repeat offenders would face a $2,000 a day fine and jail time.
Operators would have a few months to comply.
“This is so important because it allows us to prevent our most vulnerable from being preyed on and living in some really dangerous and unhealthy conditions,” said Beck.
Tonight’s council meeting starts at 6.
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