A new partnership in Cameron County is giving residents a pathway to homeownership through education, credit building and down payment assistance.

Starting next month, anyone living in Cameron, Hidalgo and Willacy counties will have access to a new resource aimed at helping them buy a home.

From October to December, through a partnership with the nonprofit Come Dream Come Build, residents can get guidance on building credit, saving money and purchasing a home.

"We really listen to what the client wants, where it is that they want to live and where it is that they want to buy," Come Dream Come Build Chief Lending Officer Linda Marin said.

People can also find out if they qualify for programs that would help cover the down payment on a first home.

San Benito Housing Authority Director Maricela Aguilar said the program will offer education on what it takes to buy a home. Additional details about eligibility, enrollment, workshops, and program schedules will be announced soon.

Aguilar said there is a growing need for affordable housing in the area, including in San Benito. She said the waitlist for public housing has grown in recent years, with 543 people on the list in 2023-2024, 903 in 2024-2025, and 802 in 2025-2026.

According to Aguilar, some people are removed from the list because they no longer want to wait or find housing elsewhere.

"And if we're servicing the low-income families or the medium-income families, we need to be able to give them that pathway," Aguilar said.

One person hoping to use that pathway is Anna Morales, a Harlingen resident and single mother of four who has been working toward homeownership for nine years.

Morales works full-time at the San Benito Housing Authority, where she handles Section 8 applications, and recently started studying human services at Texas State Technical College.

"Being the sole provider for my family has been my challenge," Morales said.

She said better education could lead to better pay and bring her closer to owning a home.

"Better education means better pay, more income so that I can eventually again see this dream come to fruition," Morales said.

A 30-year home loan is currently averaging about 7% according to Freddie Mac.

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