By Roberto Hugo Gonzalez
As originally published by Texas Border Business in its newsprint Edition
Not long ago and to be precise, Monday, November 14, 2011 Affordable Homes of South Texas, Inc. (AHSTI) broke ground on a new facility located in downtown McAllen dedicated to all AHSTI homeownership initiatives including lending, homebuyer education, construction, and our Real Estate brokerage divisions.
At the time, Paul Rodriguez, was the president of Affordable Homes of South Texas and he said; “We are here to celebrate and begin a project known as our homeownership center, it’s a project that has been in the making for over 10 years.”
“As Paul mentioned, this project has been in the planning for a long time,” Bobby Calvillo director of Affordable Homes of south Texas said. “We hope that we can serve more people as time progresses but one thing that we re trying to do make if more than just an office building,” he said. The Homeownership Center is a first of its kind in the Valley and will also feature a 1,300 sq. ft. training room for homebuyer counseling for first-time homebuyers.
The new Affordable Homes of South Texas Inc. Home Ownership Center is a 10,000 square foot facility located in downtown McAllen. The new facility features a 1,300 square foot training Academy for homebuyer education instruction and houses all homeownership initiatives including lending, construction and their Real Estate brokerage divisions.
As part of this special project, Affordable Homes of South Texas, Inc. (AHSTI) offers the opportunity for the public to participate through The Path Home project, a 452 sq. ft. area in front of the new Home Ownership Center that showcases engraved pavers. During the ceremony Calvillo announced that for a limited time people had the chance to purchase an engraved paver that which become a permanent part of The Path Home walkway.”
It was said tneh and is valid today that it was a great way to show your support for AHSTI and a thoughtful way to honor someone you love or a friend. A brick also makes a unique gift for anniversaries or birthdays.
It was Luis Figueroa, past president for AHSTI that made a special presentation. “I would like to say as an immediate past president that it has been an honor to part of this organization,” Figueroa said. After that Figueroa called Jim Darling McAllen City commissioner-now current City of McAllen Mayor- that has helped the organization to close on over 2000 closings. “Jim I like to thank you for the many years of service and we would like to present you with a replica of the actual brick paver that we will be placing in your honor.”
Darling said that for him it was a labor of love. “Building 2000 homes is a tribute to Bobby Calvillo and his staff and the boards that have served in the past,” Darling said. “Many tell me you did it for nothing and that is not true, the biggest reward were the faces and the smiles on those faces from the people that came to pick up their keys, that was worth everything” he said.
Richard F. Cortez, McAllen Mayor at the time congratulated Jim Darling for the work that he has done helping this organization with legal matters. Mayor Cortez presented a $480,000 check to the organization from the City of McAllen. Salomon Torres, who at the time was the District Director for Congressman Ruben Hinojosa also took part of the ceremonies on behalf of the congressman.
Affordable Homes of South Texas, Inc. is a local non-profit organization that provides home ownership opportunities and education for working low-income families. Nationally recognized, AHSTI provides a range of non-profit housing solutions. AHSTI takes on the role of land developers, general contractors and as a full-service mortgage company.
In addition, AHSTI is a certified HUD Counseling Agency and provides a multi-cultural, in-house homebuyer education program to all clients. On October 19, 2011 the Board of Directors of Affordable Homes of South Texas announced its new Board officers effective November 1, 2011. The following officers were elected to serve a one-year term in the following positions: Paul R. Rodriguez, former President and now Elva M. Cerda is the current President. TBB
