Fort Worth residents in pilot neighborhoods are getting a helping hand with their yard maintenance thanks to the City’s new Mobile Tool Shed program. The initiative provides free, temporary loans of lawn equipment directly to residents' doorsteps, making it easier to comply with city codes and boost neighborhood pride.
Rosa Gomez, a resident of the Worth Heights neighborhood, recently took advantage of the program to tackle her overgrown lawn. “I rented a lawn mower and a tree trimmer to cut a few branches in the front yard,” she said, explaining that her own equipment had broken down. “The grass was already up to my knees!”
The process is simple: residents reserve the tools they need online and select a delivery time. A Code Compliance Officer then delivers the equipment, ready to use and with a full tank of gas. Return is equally convenient, with residents able to leave the equipment empty.
Code Compliance Officer Gaylon Johnson, who delivered the tools to Ms. Gomez, explained, “Residents sign up for the tools they need, choose a drop-off time, and we show up at their doorstep. Each piece of equipment comes ready to use.”
Ms. Gomez found the online reservation and delivery process quick and easy, and she has already shared her positive experience with her neighborhood association.
Brian Daugherty, director of Code Compliance, emphasized the program's goal: “We're working to break down barriers, whether it’s financial or lack of transportation, that can make it difficult to access lawn equipment. The tools are there for them.”
The Mobile Tool Shed program also benefits the City by potentially reducing the need for costly abatements for properties out of compliance. The Code Compliance Department is currently monitoring the program’s success in its pilot neighborhoods, with an eye toward potential expansion citywide.
For residents like Rosa Gomez, the program is a welcome resource. “I’m just really grateful the City of Fort Worth is offering something like this. It makes a big difference,” she said.
