- Home Program offers some homeowners a new and safe home at no cost.
- The homes are federally funded and regulated through the US Department of Housing and Urban Development.
- The number of houses that will be built in the county will be determined by applications and those who qualify.
The Jim Wells County Home Program is federally funded and regulated through the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. Those who apply and qualify get the chance for a brand-new home with no cost.
County Judge Pedro “Pete” Trevino Jr. said that county residents who apply will be subject to a verification process.
“The people who qualify for this they get to get a brand-new home and the old home demolished. For economic development it spruces up the community around them,” JWC Judge Pedro “Pete” Trevino Jr. said.
He said some homes are unlivable and need extensive work that homeowners may not be able to afford. The program is vital to residents in need of homes – repairs can be costly or unfavorable to residents who need a decent place to live.
This homeowner program has been used by the county before with the goal to provide safe homes.
When Trevino was in office the first time in 2014, he learned of the program. Work between the county judge and county commissioners was going strong.
Trevino said the county was able to provide new homes to several families in the county. Homes that were ADA and up to safety standards.
Depending on the number of applications they receive and the number of families that qualify - will determine how many homes are built in the county. It'll also determine the amount of funding the county receives, Trevino said.
Sylvia Contreras’ mother was one of those families. Her mother’s home was old and “falling apart.” Together, Contreras and her mother, Santos M. Castillo, filled out the paper until they got the call that they would get a new home.
The start was demolishing the family home on Evelyn Street in Alice. The three-bedroom two bath home was built.
"(The old house) wasn’t good for her health,” Contreras said. “It changed our lives. To be able to see her open the door was rewarding. I knew she was in a safe place, and she had a roof over her head.”
This program is available to all homeowners in Jim Wells County who don’t reside within the city limits including the portion of San Diego located in Duval County.
The last day to apply is May 31 at the Jim Wells County Judge’s Office and the offices of the County Commissioners. For more information call Sandy Garcia at 512-420-0303 ext. 325 or email sandy@grantworks.net.
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