FORT WORTH, Texas — A nondenominational church's plan to build a 100-bed shelter for survivors of human trafficking will be discussed by the Fort Worth Zoning Commission Wednesday.
The neighborhood surrounding the church has opposed the plan since it was proposed two years ago. Last week, the Oakhurst Neighborhood Association voted unanimously to oppose the plan and hire legal counsel to represent their interests.
Mercy Culture Church, located in east Fort Worth, wants to build a shelter for survivors of human trafficking called the Justice Reform Discipleship Center. The project is also referred to as the Justice Residences on the church's website.
The church's plan includes constructing a three-story building to house a "discipleship center" on property owned by the church adjacent to the main church building, according to the church's zoning application. The church will also add 28 parking spaces, security and a brick wall as high as eight feet tall around the property, the application states.
"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," the application states.
Neighbors are concerned the shelter would change the atmosphere of the single-family neighborhood, lacking parking will cause cars to spill into residential streets and the shelter would draw traffickers to the area in search of their former victims, WFAA previously reported.
"It's scary to me," said Oakhurst Neighborhood Association Vice President Karthyn Omarkhail. "It's almost in my backyard. I mean, it's literally right behind my house."
In anticipation of expected opposition from the surrounding neighborhood, Mercy Culture Church has urged its congregants to sign up to speak during the public comment portion of the meeting in support of the shelter.
Regardless of how the zoning commissioners vote Wednesday, Fort Worth City Council members will make the final decision on the fate of the shelter Dec. 10.
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