HBA Helps Gold Star Family Achieve Homeownership
A gold star family is one step closer to achieving the American Dream of homeownership thanks to Operation: Coming Home (OCH), an initiative of the HBA of Raleigh-Wake County (N.C). The program builds and gives away Hero Homes to military members and their families thanks to the generosity of local home builders and subcontractors.
The Bradley family is the recipient of a home this year. Staff Sgt. Juantrea T. Bradley, 28, of Greenville, N.C., died on March 12, 2008, in Tallil, Iraq, of wounds sustained when his vehicle was hit by indirect fire. He received many awards and decorations for his dedication and service, including a Purple Heart. He is survived by his wife, Ava Lanette Bradley, three sons and one daughter.
“The first 5-6 years, it was really rough,” Ava Lanette Bradley, told a local news station. “Then, you rely on your faith, which we were, you know, a faith abundant family before then. He wasn’t afraid of death. So, I feel like you did what you were supposed to do. He was like, I do this for my country. He did what he needed to do. And now, I have to do what I have to do.”
Earlier this year, Bradley thought she was invited to attend an initial meeting at a model home with a builder and developer as part of the application process for OCH. When the family arrived at the model home, to their surprise they learned they were selected as this year’s recipient. On Oct. 6, OCH held a “Sign the Studs” event to mark the halfway point of the new build.
“For us, it’s really special,” said Alaina Money-Garman, Garman Homes CEO, the home builder for the Bradley family. “To be able to build a home for another woman to have a woman own company building for a widow of a fallen soldier is really special for all of us.”
“It is difficult to measure the amount of pride and patriotism that our involvement with Operation: Coming Home brings to our members and our leaders,” said Paul Kane, executive officer of the HBA of Raleigh-Wake County. “Honestly, the Key Ceremony, when we hand over the keys of the beautiful new home to a recipient, is one of the favorite parts of my job.”
OCH was created by a group of local veterans and members from the HBA of Raleigh-Wake County in 2007 to serve severely wounded veterans. The Bradley family is the 27th recipient of an OCH Hero Home.
Latest from NAHBNow
Oct 17, 2025
How Diverse Is the Construction Workforce?Diversifying the construction labor force remains a key priority amid persistent skilled labor shortages. The most notable trend has been the steady rise of Hispanic participation, according to the American Community Survey.
Oct 16, 2025
Are Today’s Building Codes Enough to Improve Home Resilience?In the face of rapidly increasing losses from natural disasters, many housing advocates are pushing for more stringent building codes to make homes more resilient to disaster. But is that the best path forward?
Latest Economic News
Oct 17, 2025
Better Growth, Larger Deficits: CBO Fiscal OutlookThe Congressional Budget Office (CBO) is a key nonpartisan score keeper that measures the effects of policy changes by the Federal Government. With several policy changes since January of this year, including the One Big Beautiful Bill Act (OBBBA), stricter immigration, and higher tariffs, the CBO updated its economic projections through 2028.
Oct 16, 2025
Amid Market Challenges, Builder Expectations Rise in OctoberEven as builders continue to grapple with market and macroeconomic uncertainty, sentiment levels posted a solid gain in October as future sales expectations surpassed the 50-point breakeven mark for the first time since last January.
Oct 15, 2025
Builders Stay Cautious as Single-Family Permits WeakenIn August, single-family permit activity softened, reflecting caution among developers amid persistent economic headwinds. This trend has been consistent for eight continuous months.