“Great book for anybody looking to improve inner cities” – one of many 5-star reviews

HALTOM CITY, TX, April 04, 2023 /24-7PressRelease/ — Authors Gregory Smith and Ron Sturgeon are pleased to announce the release of Keeping the Lights on Downtown in America’s Small Cities, Second Edition. The update includes seven new chapters and highlights specific strategies that can help cities begin to turn things around.

Keeping the Lights On has garnered acclaim from community and business leaders and has an impressive list of five-star reviews on Amazon.com. Writes one reviewer, “Worried about the economic development of your small city? Read this book! This book gives you the information you need to know in order to make the best decisions for your home town.” Other comments include, “A Master class in keeping small cities flourishing” and “Very insightful book. A unique perspective into how inner cities can be rebuilt and what it takes to get it done.”

Haltom City resident Glenda Cates, author of The Mommies Reviews website, reviewed the book last year. “Reading through the book I just kept shaking my head as I raise my family here. I drive through the town every day and see all the businesses sitting empty.” “All in all, I do love my home and if Keeping the Lights on Downtown in America’s Small Cities can change things, I bow down to them. I’ve lived here most of my life just as my husband and his parents have, and nothing is changing and never does.”

Book co-author Ron Sturgeon is a successful businessman who has watched the decades-long decline in his hometown of Haltom City with considerable dismay. Wanting to help, he founded the Haltom United Business Alliance (HUBA), an organization that represents business owners and is dedicated to advocating for much-needed change. He is also the person behind the Make Haltom City Thrive Again movement which aims to call attention to the issues in Haltom City and highlights the need for city council members who will diligently work for change.

According to Sturgeon and his co-author, cities that want to revitalize should work to develop a concept plan outlining their goals and strategies. Plans should address selection, sizing, and prioritization of specific initiatives, include ideas and proposals designed to spur commerce and prosperity, and consider existing and planned real estate (key to any successful revitalization plan). A chapter of the book is dedicated to form-based codes — what they are and why they should be considered — and another highlights Mansfield, Texas as “a form-based code success story.”

As part of the Make Haltom City Thrive Again campaign, Ron will send a free copy of the book to any Haltom City resident (or business owner) who requests one. To get the book, e-mail your name and address to [email protected]. Says Ron, “I hope you will join myself and others in this effort to revitalize Haltom City. I am a huge fan of this mighty city, and I want the best for our residents and businesses.”

About Haltom City
Haltom City is a diverse, majority working-class city located between Dallas and Fort Worth in Tarrant County, TX. Haltom City is minutes from both the DFW Airport and Downtown Fort Worth with direct access to major highways including I-820 and SH-121. Due to an outdated and restrictive use matrix that discourages new business and deters growth, several areas of Haltom City have seen a decline in small businesses which provided goods and services and were a significant source of jobs, including the once-thriving automotive industry. However, Haltom City can reverse this trend and should prioritize development of inner-city land and vacant buildings, particularly in the major corridors close to the city’s center. The city is financially healthy with a capable manager and staff who would like to see diverse business development occur and need the support of the City Council to make it happen.

About Ron Sturgeon
Ron Sturgeon, “Mr. Mission Possible,” combines 40+ years of entrepreneurship with a deep resume in consulting. When his dad died and Ron had no place to live, 17-year-old Ron began a career in entrepreneurship which led to his building a chain of salvage yards sold to Ford in 1999. After his repurchase of Greenleaf from Ford and subsequent resale to Schnitzer, Ron became a real estate investor. He has 1,500+ tenants and loves small businesses. As a consultant, Ron shares his expertise in strategic planning, capitalization, compensation, growing market share, providing field-proven, high-profit, best practices well ahead of the curve. He has recently published his tenth book, Keeping the Lights on Downtown in America’s Small Cities, and is leading a grassroots effort to bring prosperity back to the city where his business career began.

About Make Haltom City Thrive Again
The Make Haltom City Thrive Again website offers information and resources about its purpose and goals. For more on Sturgeon’s personal ideas and background, check out his book Keeping the Lights on Downtown in America’s Small Cities and watch the videos on his Facebook page. Ron is also the founder of the Haltom United Business Alliance (HUBA) which represents existing business interests in Haltom City and promotes growth of diverse businesses as well. HUBA is not a political action committee and does not endorse candidates. If/when Ron endorses candidates, he will do so on his own with the Make Haltom City Thrive Again organization.

About Haltom United Business Alliance
Haltom United Business Alliance (HUBA) wants to give members of Haltom City’s business community an advocate and to keep those businesses informed about issues that affect them. They want to make sure Haltom City is business friendly and nurtures small business growth, including automotive businesses, and bring more restaurants including breweries and a major grocery store to the city. New businesses and growth in existing businesses will create a stronger tax base which will allow the city to pay its first responders wages that are competitive with surrounding cities while improving Haltom City’s facilities and infrastructure. HUBA believes that the southern and central parts of the city need a revitalization plan, to prevent further degradation in those areas, and wants that to happen before the inner-city experiences increased crime and more blight. As retail and office uses are in decline, it’s more critical than ever to attract new businesses. They believe that such a plan requires a strong relationship and support of the business community. Anyone who owns a business in Haltom City is eligible to join HUBA. Dues are $20 annually or $50 for a lifetime membership, and membership is 100% confidential. To join, contact Joe Palmer at (682) 310-0591 or by email at [email protected]. Visit the group’s Facebook at Haltom United Business Alliance.

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