Young people participating in the town's YouthBuild program and the Arizona National Guard's Project Challenge help at construction sites. The State Energy Office advises families on energy efficiency issues. Local businesses donate water heaters and weekend lunches to construction teams. Participants find out early that the program is no picnic. By the time their application is approved, family members have already attended 20 hours of classes in money management, construction safety, and home maintenance.
Similar workshops continue after the families occupy their new homes.
Before construction begins, the families form an association, elect officers, and meet weekly to iron out construction details. This includes conferring with students from Arizona State University's School of Architecture, who receive college credit to design the floor plans, and hiring sub-contractors to install plumbing and electrical wiring. At least two representatives of each family must put in 8-hour shifts every Saturday and Sunday during construction, working to build the home of every family in the group. Property values in Guadalupe have risen 19 percent since the program began. At least three program participants have landed construction jobs, and others have gone to work for the city or the local school.