PID Goals and Funding
The East Lancaster Public Improvement District (known as PID #20) was established between Riverside Drive and East Loop 820 for a ten-year period by Fort Worth City Council resolution in February 2019. A Public Improvement District is designed to provide supplemental services and improvements for the benefit of all properties within the District. These are enhancements which would not otherwise be provided by the city of Fort Worth.
Chapter 372 of the Texas Local Government Code authorizes the creation of PIDs. Property owners can petition their local government to form a PID, which may include the establishment of an advisory body (known as a board of directors). Through the advisory body, property owners have input over the types of improvements, level of maintenance and number of assessments levied against them.
Goals:
The primary goals of the District are:
· To provide security services and other crime prevention techniques for all properties within its boundaries.
· To market the street for redevelopment.
An armed security company working in close collaboration with property owners and the Fort Worth Police Department began patrols early in 2020. The increased security presence provides a level of reassurance to those with legitimate business on the street and a deterrent to anyone contemplating illegal activity. The primary responsibility for public safety still rests with the Fort Worth Police Department.
It is a well-established fact that the perception of crime is often more harmful than crime itself. The security service is one of the strategies implemented to help the area become more attractive for business. As perception of the area improves, owners will again feel a sense of hope, which can translate to further investments in their property.
Funding:
The funding mechanism for PID #20 is a special tax assessment on all taxable properties within the District. All PID assessment dollars are collected and earmarked by the City of Fort Worth, and guaranteed to be spent on the District.
All owners of taxable property must pay an annual tax assessment to the Tarrant County Tax Office, which is included in the annual tax bill each fall. The current taxation rate is 26.6 cents per $100 of assessed value, or approximately nine percent of the total tax liability.
The budget submitted by the PID Manager to the Fort Worth City Council is finalized annually based on the costs to operate the PID. Financial reports are published on this website.
PID services do NOT include:
Private property maintenance
Public space landscaping
Streetlight maintenance
Utility services/repairs
Street repairs
