We all want to live in safe communities, and sometimes that takes regular people not taking no for an answer.

Lights in a northeast Edinburg colonia, Iowa Gardens, are decades in the making.

"I feel super happy because this is a win for all the neighbors that live in the colonia," Iowa Gardens resident Maria Romero said.

Romero has lived in the colonia her entire life, and she says it means more to her than lights for her children and grandchildren.  

"It's important for reducing violence, thefts. Also for the security of our kids," Romero said.

Romero is among a group of residents who started pushing for the lights in the early 2000s. She and Letty Alvarado says it took time to get others onboard.

"We were going house to house collecting signatures," Alverado said.

Alvarado says they needed to convince 75 percent of residents. Some were hesitant about the cost.

The project was built through Hidalgo County's Colonias Streetlights Program. The program awards streetlights, but each house will have to pay about $15 yearly.

In the end, residents agreed it was worth it. 

Precinct 4 Commissioner Ellie Torres says it's a small price to pay.

"The investment from the county was close to $100,000 to bring the infrastructure," Torres said.

But it's not about the cost for Romero. It's about safety and equality in infrastructure.

"You want to be able to live with dignity and have all the resources that they have in the city," Romero said.