At Grassroots, we often find ourselves at the crossroads of complex challenges—places where progress has stalled and others have walked away. Over time, we’ve come to embrace a simple truth: sometimes our role is to help fix what feels unfixable.
Years ago, we identified three abandoned lots in North Waco. On the surface, they held potential. But in reality, they came with significant barriers. There were no water or sewer connections, making new construction incredibly difficult and expensive. To make matters more complicated, the lots faced a semi-abandoned side street, limiting accessibility and long-term viability.
For most, these obstacles were enough to move on.
A few years later, an investor explored the possibility of building townhomes on the site. But after careful analysis, they reached the same conclusion—too costly, too complicated. Instead of letting the land sit idle, they made a generous decision: they donated the lots to Grassroots.
That’s when the real work began.
We spent years searching for the right opportunity to move the project forward. Eventually, that opportunity came through the City of Waco Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) program. With their support, we were able to tackle one of the biggest barriers—extending water and sewer infrastructure to the property.
We also partnered with the engineers at Walker Partners, who helped reimagine the site. Together, we reoriented the lots to face a more accessible street and developed a plan to bring essential utilities to the area.
What once felt like an impossible project slowly became possible.
Today, those three lots are no longer abandoned. They are home.
We have now built three new houses on that land, and at the beginning of next month, the final homeowner will move in. What was once overlooked and underutilized is now a place where families can build stability, create memories, and put down roots.
This is the kind of long-term, patient investment that defines our work at Grassroots. Change doesn’t always happen quickly. Sometimes it takes years of persistence, partnership, and problem-solving. But we believe that every neighborhood is worth that effort—and every family deserves a place to call home.
