Braun, who is not a registered sex offender, said he\u2019s devoted his career to preventing such abuse<\/a>.<\/p>\n The 2,000-foot rule would be one of the most restrictive in north Texas as most cities employ a 1,000- or 1,500-foot rule. Keller rolled out a similarly restrictive 2,000-foot<\/a> rule in 2021.<\/p>\n Fort Worth\u2019s vote on Tuesday comes after months of discussion among council members on whether and how to control where registered sex offenders live after they\u2019ve finished their parole.\u00a0<\/p>\n City staff previously recommended a 1,000-foot restriction<\/a>, which would have left about 9% of Fort Worth available for registered sex offenders. But a majority of the council expressed concern that such a limit could unintentionally lead to certain neighborhoods becoming hot spots for sex offenders to live in.<\/p>\n During a Dec. 2 work session, Jerris Mapes, senior assistant city attorney, warned council members stricter limits could open the door to sex offenders suing Fort Worth as the city isn\u2019t legally allowed to \u201cbanish\u201d anyone from living within its limits.<\/p>\n Of the 3,201 registered sex offenders who live in Fort Worth, 2,454 had victims under 17 years old. Of those, 1,577 have no residency restrictions, according to a December presentation.\u00a0<\/p>\n City officials cannot apply the restriction retroactively, meaning those registered offenders who currently live within such limits would not have to move.<\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m not asking the council to excuse wrongdoing,\u201d said Fort Worth resident Jerry Puckett, who with his wife founded and operates Under The SON Outreach, a Christian nonprofit providing transitional living and rehabilitation services to men who are registered sex offenders. \u201cI\u2019m just as aligned as you are on issues of safety, where the safety mechanism actually provides safety.\u201d<\/p>\n Puckett, a registered sex offender for an offense committed in 1992, went through years of healing and rehab, he previously told the Report. He said he\u2019s since been open about his experiences and tries to help other men on the road to recovery.<\/p>\n While Puckett would not be directly affected by the ordinance, he said such restrictions would harm his ministry. Recently released offenders already have limitations on where they can live. Those whose state restrictions have expired rarely recommit offenses, he said.<\/p>\n While speaking to the council, Braun cited data suggesting that an estimated 93% of juvenile victims were abused by someone they knew, not a stranger, according to a 2000 study by the U.S. Department of Justice<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n Another 2003 federal study<\/a> found 3.5% of 9,691 registered sex offenders were reconvicted for a sex crime within three years, while 24% were reconvicted for an offense of any kind during the follow-up period.<\/p>\n Puckett told the Report after City Council\u2019s vote on Tuesday that litigation is not his goal with the city, rather, he wants to ensure the policy is \u201clawful and improves safety.\u201d He said the council\u2019s response to his pleas \u201craises real questions about whether the policy is being driven by evidence or by emotion.\u201d<\/p>\n Council members previously suggested that, after the initial rule is rolled out, that city officials find ways to further restrict where registered sex offenders can live.\u00a0<\/p>\n Chris Nettles, who represents parts of southeast Fort Worth, suggested the council \u201cget creative with zoning\u201d to make more land off limits. Charles Lauersdorf, who represents a northern portion of the city, said Fort Worth could create more parks, thus limiting where sex offenders can move.<\/p>\n \u201cIf there are parks or other areas where our children can safely come together and play, and that just so happens to put a restriction on somebody, they made that bed, and they can sleep in it,\u201d Lauersdorf said at the Dec. 2 work session.<\/p>\n What ordinances do other cities enforce?<\/p>\n Dallas: Does not allow offenders whose victims were under 17 to \u201cremain at or near\u201d child safety zones.<\/p>\n San Antonio: Does not allow any offender to live within 1,000 feet of a park, or loiter within 300 feet of a park.<\/p>\n Arlington: Does not allow \u201chabitual offenders\u201d to live within 1,000 feet of specified zones.<\/p>\n Everman: Does not allow offenders whose victims were under 17 to live or rent within 1,000 feet of specified zones.<\/p>\n Keller: Does not allow offenders whose victim was under 17 to live or rent within 2,000 feet of specified zones.<\/p>\n Mansfield: Does not allow any offender to live or rent within 1,000 feet of specified zones, and this year added restrictions to multiple offenders living at the same dwelling.\u00a0<\/p>\n Drew Shaw is a government accountability reporter for the Fort Worth Report. Contact him at drew.shaw@fortworthreport.org<\/a>or @shawlings601<\/a>.\u00a0<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/us-tx\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/02\/Screenshot-2026-02-12-at-12.31.14-PM-1024x515.png\")
A drafted map from Fort Worth\u2019s attorney\u2019s office shows where registered sex offenders can live in the city under a possible new restriction. (Courtesy | City of Fort Worth)<\/p>\n