After the houses are finished, they are moved by truck onto lots already owned by the families in one of the 868 colonias in Hidalgo County. The three bedroom houses are modest, but well built. Each new house has an approved water and sewage disposal system. This is an important feature for many Proyecto Azteca homebuilders, a number of whom have not lived in a house with running water or an indoor bathroom. A proud homebuilder shows his granddaughter their new kitchen.
Future homeowners build their new homes exclusively with the own labor.
Lower Valley Housing Working together for homeownership Lower Valley Housing Corporation's building site where families work together building new homes. The balance of the work is done by professional contractors. The labor contributed by the families lowers the cost of the house and the monthly payments. Mutual self-help makes homes affordable for people who are not able to afford homes in the conventional housing market. The mutual self-help program provides an alternative to families who would otherwise end up living in substandard colonias.