Habitat for Humanity marks 50 years of building affordable homes in South Texas – KSAT

Habitat for Humanity marks 50 years of building affordable homes in South Texas  KSAT

For five decades, Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio & Guadalupe Valley has helped local families build a path to affordable homeownership, and stronger communities along the way SAN ANTONIO – Habitat For Humanity was established in 1976 by local founder Faith Lytle, who saw a need for affordable homeownership and reached out to her friend Millard Fuller, an early leader in the Habitat movement. The affiliate’s first home, built on San Antonio’s West Side, took two years to complete. Today, a Habitat home can be built in about two months. The organization has since become the sixth-largest producing Habitat affiliate in the nation. In 2021, it expanded its service area by incorporating the Guadalupe Valley Habitat chapter.

Habitat now serves families in Bexar and Guadalupe counties. During its 50th anniversary year, Habitat for Humanity of San Antonio & Guadalupe Valley completed its 1,500th home and plans to build 52 homes in 2026. More than 1,500 local families have partnered with the organization to achieve homeownership. Habitat families purchase their homes with a zero-interest mortgage and no profit added to the sale. In return, homeowners invest 300 hours of “sweat equity” by helping build their own homes and those of their neighbors. They also complete 17 homeownership-readiness classes, including hands-on lessons in home maintenance and small repairs. The organization says