Family in Dripping Springs gets brand-new home at no cost thanks to non-profit

DRIPPING SPRINGS, Texas - Hundreds of volunteers worked together to build a brand-new home at no cost for a family in Dripping Springs.

The family was selected by the non-profit organization Hometown Missions due to the condition of the home they had lived in for nearly four decades.

"We handed them some keys to a fully-furnished, all appliances installed, completely air-conditioned, beautiful home with no strings attached," said Hometown Missions Vice President Chuck Lemmond. 

Sunday was move-in day for the Salazar family. The family of four moved out of their previous home that had been in the family for the past 40 years.

"It was a home that I raised my girls in," homeowner Nora Salazar said. "It was emotional, but then again, this is emotional as well."

The family says they were on the waiting list for the Home in a Month initiative for nearly two and half years before getting approved.

The home they were living in had a host of issues, many of which were unsafe.

"It was just a lot of stuff, so I decided to write Hometown Missions and just ask for help to fix the bathroom, and from that they came and talked to us," Melissa Salazar, who applied for the program, said. "They decided that we can't just fix your bathroom, we can't just help you with that. They said we can help you with a new home."

The old home was demolished, and a new three-bedroom home was built on the property by more than 200 volunteers in a span of nearly six weeks. 

MORE NEWS

• Part of Shoal Creek Greenbelt renamed in honor of former city council member
• 'Yellowstone' spin-off show '1923' to begin filming in Austin
• South Congress business closes after nearly 30 years

"Retail cost for the new house would be about $175,000," Lemmond said. "I think at the end of the day we will probably spend about half that on actual cost for this house and the rest will immediately go toward funding the next project."

"We were just shocked, like are you serious, this is ours? We can call it home?" Victoria Salazar, who lives in the home, said.

According to Hometown Missions, the organization has been operating for more than a decade, partnering with churches in the community and volunteers.

The projects are funded through monetary donations, and supplies are also donated.