The Lake Como neighborhood advisory council won ‘Neighborhood of the Year’ at the annual Neighborhoods USA Conference
FORT WORTH, Texas — Como, the historic Fort Worth neighborhood dating back to the 1800s, was nationally recognized for its neighborhood association’s social revitalization efforts last week at the Neighborhoods USA Conference in Lubbock.
The Lake Como neighborhood advisory council works to spur civic engagement, improve public facilities and engage with City of Fort Worth leadership for the betterment of the neighborhood, according to a press release from the city of Fort Worth. Como is majority Black and residents have worked for decades to improve infrastructure and the reputation of the neighborhood.
Neighborhoods, USA is a nonprofit organization focused on strengthening neighborhood organizations. It awards the ‘Neighborhood of the Year’ award in three categories, physical revitalization, social revitalization and neighborhood partnerships.
Como won in the social revitalization category, according to the release, which awards organizations for focusing on social and cultural aspects of a neighborhood including safety, social programs, and celebrations.
The award comes nearly early a year after the community experienced a mass shooting at one of their signature community events, Comofest.
It’s not the first time the neighborhood’s cultural events were marred by violence. In 2021, eight people were shot in an argument near a car wash in the neighborhood after the first-ever Comofest. No one died in that incident.
The day after the shooting, the Fourth of July 2023, the neighborhood still came out for its annual Fourth of July parade. It was a show of the neighborhood’s resilience, attendees said.
The advisory council has developed permanent and special committees including a crime task force, a communications team, a neighborhood enhancement team and the Lake Como Wellness Council, the release states.