Dallas BA Builds Mortgage-Free Homes for Veterans, First Responders in Need
Committed to serving its community, the Dallas Builders Association (DBA) has partnered with Operation Finally Home (OPFH), a 501(c)(3) nonprofit, for more than a decade to provide mortgage-free homes for injured veterans, first responders and the families of those who have fallen in the line of duty. Together, the organizations have rallied community support to help those in need.
DBA Executive Officer Gena Godinez said the partnership began in 2013 after OPFH spoke at the Sunbelt Builders Show in Grapevine, Texas, and the DBA left convinced it needed to support the program. Now, the DBA is preparing to break ground on its 10th home for a local service member.
“It was kind of an a-ha moment for a lot of the HBAs around the state,” Godinez said. “We should be doing this in our market, too. This is such a great fit — and something we can do, too — to build mortgage-free homes for veterans.”
Within months, the DBA committed to its first project and even finished two in 2014. The program fully relies on monetary and in-kind donations from DBA members and the broader community to fund the projects, including the generosity of a DBA member to take on the charitable build.
Local governments have even stepped up, including Irving, Texas, which recently donated four plots of land for future projects. Godinez said all donations are directed through the OPFH 501(c)(3), which covers the builder’s labor costs and any materials not secured through donations.
“Being able to get the land donated is so key to the success of the project,” she said. “We all know dirt is one of the most expensive things in new construction, so being able to get that part donated is amazing. We work with our local vendors to see what materials we can get donated, and then Operation has connections and resources to finish the project if we can't get everything donated.”
Beyond land, monetary and in-kind donations, Godinez knows the projects rely on local builders who volunteer their time and expertise to make the homes possible.
“There’s nothing in it financially for the builder,” she said. “It's philanthropic, and they want to do it. There’s probably quite a bit that's out of pocket for them, but our hope is to get as much donated as we can.”
Individuals and families apply for support through OPFH before going through a vetting process. But Godinez said often the hardest part is finding qualified veterans willing to apply.
“They want to make sure that the veterans they choose are not just looking for a handout. It's someone wanting a hand up,” Godinez said. "There are also so many veterans that are so proud that they don't want to apply.”
The construction timelines for these projects are often longer than for a typical home, about six to eight months, because it takes time to secure all donated materials. They’re currently waiting on building permits from Irving before construction of the next home begins, but Godinez hopes it will be ready for a family by late summer 2026.
She said it’s a surprise and families are not notified that they’ve been selected until the home officially breaks ground, and it’s heartwarming to see them once the home is finally complete.
“We just feel like it's the right thing to do,” she said. “These people have sacrificed so much for us, and it's the least we can do to give back.”