For Brenham native Lisa Crawford, the dream of owning a safe and stable home for her two children, De’Avia and Ayden, has finally come true.

Lisa had lived in the same Brenham Housing Authority apartment complex for more than 12 years, the very place where she grew up. Built in the 1970s, the apartments have seen better days. “My living situation is not what I would want anyone to experience nor have to deal with, due to property managers not doing their job the correct way,” Lisa said. “My kids and I are so sick of waking up to the smell of marijuana coming through the walls to where my whole apartment smells like it.”

Between mold, noise, and rising rent costs reaching nearly $1,500 a month, Lisa was determined to find a better life for her family. She works two jobs, one at Brenham State School, where she has been for six years, and another at Sevita (D&S), where she has worked for five. Every day, she strives to give her children a stronger future.

“When I was notified that we were 1 out of 3 families that was selected, my heart filled with joy and I started crying,” she said. “I have filled out the application so many times and ended up throwing them away, thinking that my family will never get picked. Until one day I made it my business to follow through, and I did.”

That perseverance paid off. In October 2025, Lisa and her children celebrated the dedication of their new three-bedroom, two-bath Habitat home in Brenham. The home was built through Washington County Habitat for Humanity and supported by the 2025 Capitol Build, a statewide effort by Habitat for Humanity Texas that brought volunteers and partners together to help construct portions of her family’s home.

“I really just want my kids to have a backyard and a home to call their own and be proud of it,” Lisa said. “I do not want them to live the way I lived growing up as a child. I’m taking this opportunity to make my children and myself happy.”

Now settled into their new home, Lisa’s gratitude is endless. “I would like to thank each and every one of you for making my family’s dream come true,” she said. “We will forever be grateful to you all.”