At Grassroots, we recognize the importance of homeownership to communities’ ability to flourish. That’s why we work hard alongside our neighbors to create pathways towards first-time homeownership by offering free housing counseling, affordable home construction, and financial assistance programs.
And yet, our 25 years of work in Waco has taught us that creating new homeowners isn’t enough to maintain high rates of homeownership; equally as important is making sure that existing homeowners can afford to stay in their homes. As any homeowner knows, maintaining a house can be expensive. Repair costs, utility bills, and property taxes, among other things, can represent unexpected expenses which threaten folks’ ability to make on-time mortgage payments or avoid taking on additional debt.
That’s why Grassroots hosts no-cost repair programs, like our roof repair program, Spring/Fall into Action, and BOUNCE. Our most recent repair project, Spring into Action 2026, took place just a few weeks ago and successfully helped homeowners in East Waco achieve livable conditions and remove code cases/penalties. Our goal is to work with homeowners so that everyone in Waco can maintain livable and affordable housing. If you’re interested in any of these programs, you can find more information by clicking here, giving us a call, or visiting our offices.
One expense of homeownership that many homeowners are familiar with is property taxes. When homeowners are hit with an unexpectedly high property tax bill, they may face penalties, fees, or even tax liens which threaten their ability to hold onto their home.
Grassroots is here to help with that situation, too. Every year during property tax season, we hold free workshops across North, East, and South Waco to teach homeowners how to navigate the property tax protest process. Protesting your property taxes can be a tool to reduce your property tax bill by lowering your property’s assessed value. Grassroots brings in local experts from the appraisal district to walk property owners through the protest process. Not only will we talk about how to protest, but also when the right time to protest is, what to do if you can’t pay your taxes, and how to protect your estate.
If you’re interested in learning more about protesting your property taxes, join us at any of our workshops this year.
- Thursday, April 30, 5:30-7pm: Dewey Community Center
- Tuesday, May 5, 5:30-7pm: S. Waco Community Center (offered in Spanish and English)
- Thursday, May 7, 5:30-7pm: St. Lukes AME
Grassroots also deploys community organizing, an approach to community development centered on relationships, advocacy, and resident-led action, to facilitate conversation, planning, and action directed towards building, revitalizing, and sustaining attractive, affordable communities. If you’d like to connect with a community organizer at Grassroots, visit us here.
At Grassroots, we believe that everyone deserves to be able to afford and maintain high-quality housing. It is our joy and privilege to work alongside you as we, together, build that future for Waco. We eagerly anticipate partnering with you to attain or maintain homeownership, at any stage of your homeownership journey.
