Fort Worth City Council approves site plans for 100+ bed facility for human trafficking victims
FORT WORTH, Texas - A shelter for human trafficking victims is coming to Fort Worth.
The Fort Worth City Council approved a site plan for Mercy Culture Church's Human Justice Reform center. The church intends to build a new, nearly 43,000 square foot facility with 107 beds and 16 staff members.
The facility would be between I-35W and a single-family residence Oakhurst neighborhood. The church says there is a heavily-wooded area that would be between the facility and the neighborhood.
The new building will be two stories facing Oakhurst Scenic Drive and three stories facing I-35W. The site is currently vacant. The church plans to also put up an 8-foot masonry fence.
In the site plan documents provided to the city, the church says, "The center will serve women who willingly choose to commit to the curriculum laid out by the Justice Reform staff and will purpose to serve the women who are in most need and have areas that would be greatly blessed by spiritual healing under the governance and protection of Mercy Culture Church."
On Tuesday, council members listened to two hours of public comment from church members and people who live nearby in the Oakhurst neighborhood.
Those in support of the shelter said it would help victims of human trafficking rebuild their lives, while those against it raised concerns about security, traffic and parking.
The project passed narrowly with a six to four vote.
According to the 2024 3rd Quarter Crime Report from the Fort Worth Police Department, there has been a 29 percent decrease in the reports of human trafficking in Fort Worth from 2023 to 2024, January through September.
There were 24 reported cases in 2023 and 17 reported cases in 2024.