Overview
The City of Fort Worth created the Como/Sunset Heights Neighborhood Empowerment Zone (NEZ) Strategic Plan as a holistic strategy towards revitalizing a disinvested and physically deteriorating neighborhood. Existing strengths for the area include a plethora of small-businesses, a prosperous working class, and the area’s close proximity to employment and cultural centers. In addition, there are many vacant lots suitable for infill housing or new commercial development and an engaged and effective neighborhood association.
Figure 1
Location of the Como/Sunset Heights NEZ Strategic Plan (circled) within all adopted NEZs plans in Fort Worth
Note. By the City of Fort Worth, from the Como/Sunset Heights Neighborhood Empowerment Zone (NEZ) Strategic Plan (Planning and Development Department, 2017).
The plan provides neighborhood capacity building, as community Stakeholders in the Como/Sunset Heights neighborhood have been engaged throughout the strategic plan’s planning process. Over time this has included workshops, public meetings, surveys and more than 12 advisory committee meetings since late 2014.
Implementation Plan:
The Como/Sunset Heights NEZ Strategic Plan includes periodic benchmarks and measures to track their progress and strategy effectiveness. An implementation matrix (Figure 3 below) outlines this plan to keep track of scheduling and the success of implementation measures, with proposed timeframes of each measure across near-term (2017-2019), mid-term (2019-2022), and long-term (2023-2031) periods. Also included are potential partners to be involved with each strategy’s success.
Five goals and their respective strategies create the framework towards revitalizing the neighborhood: Development, Housing, Neighborhood-focused Economic Development, Livability Enhancements, and Capacity Building. The NEZ’s Development goals seek to amend future land use in Fort Worth by applying recommended designations for future developments. Strategies include creating walkable, mixed density, and pedestrian-oriented areas to diversify and expand land use towards creating higher density mixed-use in a specified section of Horne Street. Housing goals for the NEZ are oriented towards creating better housing choice opportunities, housing support programs like rehabilitation and foreclosure prevention, and new, affordable single-family infill housing on vacant lots.
Figure 2
Mural on Micki Lynn Blvd. in the Sunset Heights Neighborhood
Note. By Meg Hemmerle of Fort Worth Magazine. (Hemmerle, 2018).
Neighborhood-focused Economic Development is aimed at developing Horne Street as a more vibrant business district by fostering new retail and commercial business development and strengthening existing businesses. The City of Forth Worth strives to accomplish economic development by improving Horne Street’s infrastructure and public rights-of-way. More methods include small business and entrepreneurial support programs and establishing a business/merchant association.
Livability Enhancements include public park improvements, transportation mobility and safety, reducing crime and code violations with researched public safety strategies, harboring an adult job training and workforce development program, reducing poverty through an organization/agency coalition, and fostering and promoting the heritage of Como neighborhoods. Lastly, capacity building is sought by following an appropriate benchmark and implementation schedule, with the expansion of committees working towards the revitalization goals for Como/Sunset Heights and the development of public and private partnerships between organizations to assist with these goals. This includes establishing a specifically designated nonprofit Community-Based Organization for raising funds for revitalization projects and programs.
Figure 3
Implementation Matrix and Schedule, Livability Enhancements Goals
Note. By the City of Fort Worth, from the Como/Sunset Heights Neighborhood Empowerment Zone (NEZ) Strategic Plan (Planning and Development Department, 2017).
Since Adoption of the Plan:
Estrus Tucker, resident and property owner in Como, facilitates and leads civic development by heading efforts toward creating a new community development nonprofit in the neighborhood. This organization would spearhead affordable housing partnerships coordinated with investors to bring in workforce housing to the community. In 2018, $100,000 was already available as monetary foundation for the organization. Tucker hopes that the organization will “champion” the Como neighborhood (Nishimura, 2018).
Figure 4
Como Community Center
Note. From the City of Fort Worth Parks and Recreation Department Website, https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/departments/parks/services/community-centers/como-community-center.
Sunset Heights has succeeded in attracting a more diverse population with a large influx of young professionals. Housing has been selling between $175,000 and $200,000 in the area as, much like other in areas of the Southside of Fort Worth, house flipping and renovation possibilities have prospered (Nishimura, 2019).
Redistricting task force meetings and other public meetings have seen a multitude of residents in Como voicing a goal of allowing the community to elect a candidate of their choice by including Como in a particular City Council district. The ultimately desired district is District 6, which is represented by Jared Williams, one of four council members of color. For a long time, Como has been within District 3, represented by Michael Crain, a white council member. In January 2022, Fort Worth city staff met with Como neighborhood association members for creating a map connecting Como to City Council District 6. This meeting prompted further discussions with elected officials and encouraged City Council members at the February 15 redistricting meeting to utilize a new district map of Como in District 6, connected via Chisolm Trail Parkway (Behrndt, 2022).
Figure 1
Location of the Como/Sunset Heights NEZ Strategic Plan (circled) within all adopted NEZs plans in Fort Worth
Note. By the City of Fort Worth, from the Como/Sunset Heights Neighborhood Empowerment Zone (NEZ) Strategic Plan (Planning and Development Department, 2017).
The plan provides neighborhood capacity building, as community Stakeholders in the Como/Sunset Heights neighborhood have been engaged throughout the strategic plan’s planning process. Over time this has included workshops, public meetings, surveys and more than 12 advisory committee meetings since late 2014.
Implementation Plan:
The Como/Sunset Heights NEZ Strategic Plan includes periodic benchmarks and measures to track their progress and strategy effectiveness. An implementation matrix (Figure 3 below) outlines this plan to keep track of scheduling and the success of implementation measures, with proposed timeframes of each measure across near-term (2017-2019), mid-term (2019-2022), and long-term (2023-2031) periods. Also included are potential partners to be involved with each strategy’s success.
Five goals and their respective strategies create the framework towards revitalizing the neighborhood: Development, Housing, Neighborhood-focused Economic Development, Livability Enhancements, and Capacity Building. The NEZ’s Development goals seek to amend future land use in Fort Worth by applying recommended designations for future developments. Strategies include creating walkable, mixed density, and pedestrian-oriented areas to diversify and expand land use towards creating higher density mixed-use in a specified section of Horne Street. Housing goals for the NEZ are oriented towards creating better housing choice opportunities, housing support programs like rehabilitation and foreclosure prevention, and new, affordable single-family infill housing on vacant lots.
Figure 2
Mural on Micki Lynn Blvd. in the Sunset Heights Neighborhood
Note. By Meg Hemmerle of Fort Worth Magazine. (Hemmerle, 2018).
Neighborhood-focused Economic Development is aimed at developing Horne Street as a more vibrant business district by fostering new retail and commercial business development and strengthening existing businesses. The City of Forth Worth strives to accomplish economic development by improving Horne Street’s infrastructure and public rights-of-way. More methods include small business and entrepreneurial support programs and establishing a business/merchant association.
Livability Enhancements include public park improvements, transportation mobility and safety, reducing crime and code violations with researched public safety strategies, harboring an adult job training and workforce development program, reducing poverty through an organization/agency coalition, and fostering and promoting the heritage of Como neighborhoods. Lastly, capacity building is sought by following an appropriate benchmark and implementation schedule, with the expansion of committees working towards the revitalization goals for Como/Sunset Heights and the development of public and private partnerships between organizations to assist with these goals. This includes establishing a specifically designated nonprofit Community-Based Organization for raising funds for revitalization projects and programs.
Figure 3
Implementation Matrix and Schedule, Livability Enhancements Goals
Note. By the City of Fort Worth, from the Como/Sunset Heights Neighborhood Empowerment Zone (NEZ) Strategic Plan (Planning and Development Department, 2017).
Since Adoption of the Plan:
Estrus Tucker, resident and property owner in Como, facilitates and leads civic development by heading efforts toward creating a new community development nonprofit in the neighborhood. This organization would spearhead affordable housing partnerships coordinated with investors to bring in workforce housing to the community. In 2018, $100,000 was already available as monetary foundation for the organization. Tucker hopes that the organization will “champion” the Como neighborhood (Nishimura, 2018).
Figure 4
Como Community Center
Note. From the City of Fort Worth Parks and Recreation Department Website, https://www.fortworthtexas.gov/departments/parks/services/community-centers/como-community-center.
Sunset Heights has succeeded in attracting a more diverse population with a large influx of young professionals. Housing has been selling between $175,000 and $200,000 in the area as, much like other in areas of the Southside of Fort Worth, house flipping and renovation possibilities have prospered (Nishimura, 2019).
Redistricting task force meetings and other public meetings have seen a multitude of residents in Como voicing a goal of allowing the community to elect a candidate of their choice by including Como in a particular City Council district. The ultimately desired district is District 6, which is represented by Jared Williams, one of four council members of color. For a long time, Como has been within District 3, represented by Michael Crain, a white council member. In January 2022, Fort Worth city staff met with Como neighborhood association members for creating a map connecting Como to City Council District 6. This meeting prompted further discussions with elected officials and encouraged City Council members at the February 15 redistricting meeting to utilize a new district map of Como in District 6, connected via Chisolm Trail Parkway (Behrndt, 2022).