 The City of Fort Worth Neighborhood Improvement Initiative has come to the Northside for 2019 and residents are telling city leaders what they need most. Sidewalks. Streets. And more lighting. During a bus tour of the target area, city and neighborhood leaders saw incomplete sidewalks and streets in need of repair. The city has set aside more than $3 million for improvements in this one-and-a-half square mile area south of 25th Street and north of Jacksboro Highway. By focusing on a small area, the city hopes to make a big impact. The first step was to ask residents what they need and want most. More than 150 neighbors attended this community meeting to give city leaders their feedback. This is probably the largest crowd for a kickoff for the Neighborhood Improvement Initiative we've had so far. residents answered questions on a survey, then placed stickers to cast their votes for various projects and concerns. The city will use the voting results to prioritize work on the Northside. I'm hoping they put more sidewalks up, more community parts. We have a three-year-old grandson, you know, we'd like to have him be able to go on the sidewalks and ride his bike. My husband is a soccer, he volunteers as a soccer team coach here. We could definitely use some lights for them to practice at night. Help with home repairs is also a big priority. Most homes in the neighborhood are 50 to 100 years old. The city is working to connect residents with grants for repairs. There were houses that need painting, they were down to the bare wood and I noticed a fence that was just falling down and it looked very dangerous. The city is also working with organizations such as Habitat for Humanity to provide affordable new housing and Tarrant Appraisal District to give residents accurate property tax information. Work is already underway to make the Northside cleaner and safer. Crews have picked up litter, removed illegal dump sites and trimmed trees and brushed along neighborhood streets. But it's just the beginning. Stay tuned for updates throughout 2019 as the city's neighborhood improvement strategy helps this Northside community stay safe, vital and proud. For more information visit Fort Worth Texas dot go slash north side area.