Sustainable Homeownership: Building Up Houses & Families

When a social worker first approached 76-year-old homeowner Olga about participating in a Demolition Diversion Program, she immediately said, “Yes.” Five years ago, Olga inherited the home from her parents, who had lived there for over twenty years, but the building was in such poor shape that she was unable to reside there. Deemed a dangerous structure, the home was leaning off its foundation with holes in the roof and flooring, broken windows, and an unstable porch.

Enter social worker Elizabeth Cruz, who was hired by San Antonio Affordable Housing Inc., the nonprofit component of the Office of Urban Redevelopment (OUR SA), to serve as a liaison between families, Code Compliance, and the Operation Rebuild Program. “My job is to advocate for the homeowner and plug in support where and when needed,” said Cruz. In many of these cases, she becomes part of the family. Olga refers to Cruz as “Luz,” meaning light. A person of faith, Olga prayed for help for her home just before Liz Cruz showed up at her doorstep.

Cruz begins all relationships with homeowners by listening to their stories. As a widowed mother of eight, Olga had experienced the trauma of loved ones struggling with addiction among other difficulties throughout her life. “The house was in complete disarray,” said Cruz. “She had lost hope of staying in her parent’s home. Olga had never owned anything of her own and if she did, it was never new. She was used to starting over—over and over again.”

Olga's home before and after Operation Rebuild completed repairs
Photos courtesy of the City of San Antonio

The $165,000 renovation on Olga’s home was completed in 2023—the first house to be repaired through the Operation Rebuild pilot program. The magic sauce of Operation Rebuild is that a social worker walks alongside the homeowner through the journey of home rehabilitation. According to Cruz, including family members is another critical part of the demolition diversion program. She met with Olga’s seven living children and a few grandchildren to thoroughly explain the program, the process, and the on-going responsibilities following the home’s rehabilitation. “The whole family was on board,” said Cruz.

As part of the program, the homeowner and one of her daughters attended the City of San Antonio Neighborhood & Housing Services Department’s Home Maintenance Workshop, developed by LISC San Antonio Program Officer Lori Hall. This four-hour class is designed to educate homeowners on preventative maintenance, basic financial management, fire safety, avoiding scams, and preparing for emergencies. Beginning in 2023, attending a Home Maintenance Workshop became a requirement of participating in any of the City’s home repair program. The City and local nonprofits have been working toward implementing this support for sustainable homeownership for the past several years, and the resulting class represents partnership between LISC San Antonio, nonprofit housing providers, the Fire Department, and the Office of Emergency Services.

For the first time, Olga’s home had a central heating and air conditioning system. To assist homeowners with the maintenance of new systems such as this, the Home Maintenance Workshop features a segment on how to maintain central air/heating systems, including annual maintenance and air filter replacement. Following the workshop, Cruz exclaimed, “Olga bought air filters for the HVAC unit!” The homeowner also participated in the Workshop’s sheetrock repair demonstration.

In 2023, 90 homeowners and family members attended the Home Maintenance Workshop. All evaluation responses rated the trainers as good (15%) or excellent (85%), and 90% of respondents said they would recommend the workshop to others. Evaluations also indicated that homeowners learned about various preventative maintenance actions, property tax protest and discounts, home foundation care and maintenance, emergency preparation, and the importance of having a will or transfer on death deed (TODD). This year's Home Maintenance Workshops kicked off on January 20 with 31 homeowners and family members gathering at City Tower. LISC San Antonio looks forward to working with the City and non-profit partners to continue this successful program.

Olga’s family members discussed the class recently, and the daughter who attended the Home Maintenance Workshop reminded her siblings to seek licensed plumbers and electricians—an important lesson from the class’s curriculum. Family members will also take on duties such as changing batteries in the smoke detectors and other maintenance tasks that Olga cannot perform. “She knows what she can do but also that she doesn’t have to figure it out on her own,” said Cruz. “She knows who and when to call for guidance or referrals.”

We all need second chances in life. For Olga, her second chance at an independent life with a new home and ownership responsibilities came at the age of 76. She and her family gathered recently to celebrate her new home. “She is owning the responsibility of having something that is hers for the first time in her life,” Cruz said. “You see her signature—family pictures, a cross, other decorations—on the house.” Armed with homeowner education from the Home Maintenance Workshop and thanks to the help of social worker Elizabeth Cruz and Operation Rebuild, Olga has new hope, new happiness, and a new home.