The inaugural CDR Fort Worth program has officially culminated with our highly anticipated Fort Worth Bus Tour. The day brought together our newly minted CDR Alumni, community partners, and local leaders to explore firsthand the single-family, multifamily, and commercial project, and community project pipelines driving neighborhood revitalization and housing affordability across the city.

This article written by Kamal Morgan originally appeared in the Fort Worth Star-Telegram on June 9, 2026

Session 8 of the Fort Worth Community Developers Roundtable cohort was hosted by Jackson Walker Law and brought together legal expertise, strategic communications, and developer insight to help cohort members move their deals forward with clarity and confidence. Joel Haydenburk welcomed us at Jackson Walker and shared insights on commercial real estate transactions in Texas. Thanks to Asheya Warren of PRAXIS Strategic Consulting and Paul Carden of Brentwood Carden Equities who provided resource mapping and community engagement perspectives for advancing projects.

The Community Developers Roundtable Fort Worth cohort convened for Session 7 on April 17, bringing together developers, community leaders, and small business advocates for a site visit and programming focused on real-world deal-making and neighborhood revitalization. Hosted by: Fort Worth Chamber of Commerce

The Community Developers Roundtable Fort Worth cohort convened for Session 6 on March 12, focusing on joint venture contracts, construction management, and project execution - bringing together experienced practitioners to help developers navigate the critical systems that move projects from paper to reality. Hosted by: Create Fort Worth, part of the DEC network

Partners, sponsors, and developers gathered at Mercury Chophouse in downtown Fort Worth for the Community Developers Roundtable (CDR) Partner Dinner, an evening focused on strengthening the relationships that help move community-centered development forward. The event was proudly sponsored by PNC Bank , with remarks from Karen Riley, who spoke about the importance of collaboration between financial institutions and developers working to bring impactful projects to life. Support from partners like PNC helps expand access to capital and opportunity for emerging community developers.

The Community Developers Roundtable Fort Worth cohort convened for session 5 focused on capital access, deal structure, and financing pathways, hosted by Olsson . We were welcomed by: Christian Evans – Geography Lead and Vivian Fung – Senior Planner & Area Leader.

This session continued the cohort’s exploration of the land development process, focusing on how developers evaluate opportunities through deal structure, pricing, yield, and timing—long before a project ever breaks ground. The conversation was anchored by Gilbert Gerst, Senior Vice President of Community Development Banking at Bank of Texas , who emphasized three fundamentals that consistently shape development outcomes: what you pay for the land, what you sell it for, and the time in between. From there, the discussion expanded to include how deal structures and evolving information influence risk, feasibility, and long-term value. Insights from Demarius Seals of DCS Development Services and Jared Helmberger of Bear Land reinforced that land development is an iterative process—one that requires disciplined analysis, adaptability, and an understanding of how product type and yield expectations shift over time.

The third session of the Community Developers Roundtable Fort Worth cohort brought developers inside City Hall for direct access to the leaders and staff shaping development across Fort Worth, hosted by the City of Fort Worth. Opening • Jay Chapa, City Manager City Leadership Panel • Kacey Thomas – Neighborhood Services • Ori Fernandez – Economic Development • DJ Harrell – Development Services City Staff & Program Experts Zoning, housing programs, finance tools, incentives, revitalization, and partnerships were represented by cross-department leaders including Marybel Pena, Sarah Odle, Dyan Anderson, Joshua Hezlap, Lilia Escobedo, Martha Collins, and Phillip Michael Smart. Lunch & Learn • LaShondra Stringfellow – Legislative updates impacting development This is exactly why the CDR exists: to give developers access to decision-makers, understanding of how systems connect, and confidence to move projects forward.