Owner Says Horton St. Modular Home Will Demonstrate Affordable Housing Concepts

The debate in La Grange over mobile and modular homes has raised some questions among citizens. Among those, some folks are wonder who is behind the modular home at Horton and Travis streets.

That home is owned by Texas Community Builders, a subsidiary of the non-profit group Business and Community Lending of Texas (BCL). The home was constructed by the company Next Step US.  At the City Council meeting on May 8, several citizens raised concerns about the home negatively affecting their property values. 

Near where the new house was placed there is a tow truck yard, a drinking establishment and a funeral home, along with several traditional homes. 

BCL spokesperson Lindsay Ignatowski said Texas Community Builders will use their Horton Street property as a model home to demonstrate affordable housing options for potential home buyers. She said the home is about a week away from completion and will include a landscaped yard. BCL eventually plans to sell the home. A typical three-bedroom, two-bath home like the one on Horton would sell for $149,000, including the land, Ignatowski said.

Ignatowski cited a study by the Texas Department of Housing and Community Affairs which showed a lack of affordable homes for sale in the area.

The study indicated a “housing gap” of more than 200 homes priced under $200,000 in Fayette County. The study defined the gap as the number of homes needed to meet projected population growth and replacement housing for functionally obsolete homes.

“The demand is there but the product is not,” Ignatowski said. We want to provide a high-quality home at the right price that are sustainable.”

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