Lake Como Still Has NIP Money Left. Before It’s Spent, Residents Deserve the Record.
- Miss Peacock
- Apr 23
- 4 min read
A community should not have to choose the next project before it sees the receipts from the last ones.
That is the issue.
On Thursday, April 30, 2026 at 6:00 PM, the City’s Neighborhood Improvement Program and Park & Recreation Department will hold a public meeting at the Como Community Center, 4660 Horne St., to hear input on potential projects for Lake Como Park.
On its face, that sounds simple: leftover money, public input, next steps.
But Lake Como residents deserve more than a flyer and a fresh round of choices.
They deserve the record.
Because the original 2021 Neighborhood Improvement Program investment in Como was presented as a $3.1 million effort aimed at cleaning up the neighborhood, making streets safer, improving quality of life, expanding community engagement, promoting economic revitalization, and supporting infrastructure and services. The 2021 NIP presentation also tied the program to measurable outcomes like reduced crime, improved infrastructure, increased community involvement, and greater community access to park space and recreational opportunities.
That means the real issue now is not just “What do we want next?”
The real issue is:
What was promised, what was spent, where did the process drift, and what should guide the last dollars now?
What residents were originally told
In March 2021, the City invited the Como neighborhood to a virtual public meeting about the Neighborhood Improvement Program. The flyer said the City was beginning a $3.1 million investment in the community and listed potential projects including:
mowing
removing damaged trees, trash, and debris
cleaning up litter
installing sidewalks
improving parks
installing new streetlights
The 2021 presentation further showed that typical NIP projects can include:
street and sidewalk construction
crosswalks
litter and dumping enforcement
park improvements
walking trails
community center improvements
streetlights
street signage
security cameras
In other words: this was never supposed to be random spending. It was supposed to be a structured neighborhood investment with clear public purpose.
What the record already shows
The 2021 NIP presentation shows that the Como Area selected for NIP was a defined geography, and the selection process was based on specific criteria such as significant blight, inadequate infrastructure, persistent public safety issues, low educational attainment, concentration of low- and moderate-income residents, and the opportunity to leverage other investments.
It also shows that park improvements were one eligible category under the Park & Recreation section, including:
ADA and safety concerns
sidewalks
lighting
site furnishings like benches and picnic tables
signage
painting
resurfacing of courts
drinking fountains
So yes — park spending was within the NIP conversation.
But that is not the end of the story.
The real question is whether the way spending unfolded stayed grounded in the original geography, priorities, and neighborhood-serving logic — or whether the process drifted under weak local stewardship and a model that treated one organization as the default civic voice.
That is where this becomes a Seat at the Table issue.
Why this matters now
Lake Como is being asked to weigh in again before the full public has seen the complete spending story.
That is backwards.
In the current email thread, City staff confirmed that they are actively developing materials and do plan to share a complete breakdown of how COMO NIP funds have been allocated to date. They also said that if the materials cannot be finalized in advance, they will be presented during the meeting and then posted afterward on the COMO NIP webpage.
That confirmation matters.
Because residents should not have to review the receipts in real time while simultaneously being asked to bless the next project.
That is exactly why KLCB asked in advance whether a budget breakdown would be presented and whether it could be shared before the meeting so residents could review it in a meaningful way.
What is still in play
The City’s April 30 flyer says NIP and Park & Recreation want input on which potential projects for Lake Como Park matter most to the community.
That means residents still have a chance to shape what happens next.
KLCB has already submitted one example: a Lake Como Park Pavilion Sanitation Intervention, described as a realistic, high-impact project because the pavilion area is currently unusable as a normal public amenity due to severe sanitation conditions, lack of restroom access, and ongoing misuse.
That does not mean it is the only possible project.
It does mean the final conversation should be grounded in:
present-day conditions
public usability
clear community benefit
transparent spending logic
a documented explanation of how the process got here
The larger issue: one civic voice is not enough
This is where the story gets bigger than one meeting.
The 2021 flyer explicitly said neighbors were being invited to join the Como NAC and City departments for the public meeting. That matters because the long-standing habit of routing neighborhood process through one organization creates a fragile structure: if that organization is overbearing, underinformed, negligent, or simply not representative, the whole process can drift while still being treated as legitimate.
That is exactly why Seat at the Table exists.
Lake Como needs a civic structure where:
multiple resident-facing organizations are included
records are available before decisions are finalized
public process is not filtered through one aging gatekeeper model
residents can compare what was promised to what was delivered
A neighborhood this important should not be expected to trust the process on vibes.
What residents should ask before April 30
Come to the meeting ready to ask:
What is the complete breakdown of how the 2021 NIP funds were spent?
What exact amount remains?
What geography and decision logic governed the earlier spending?
What is still legally and practically eligible now?
How will resident input on April 30 be documented and reflected?
Will the updated report card and spending summary be posted publicly after the meeting?
Bottom line
Lake Como should not be rushed into choosing the next project without seeing the receipts from the last ones.
Residents deserve:
the record
the map
the spending story
the remaining options
and a real seat at the table before the last dollars are assigned
Meeting details
🗓️Thursday, April 30, 2026
⌚6:00 PM
📍Como Community Center
4660 Horne St., Fort Worth, TX 76107
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