Since its inception 81 years ago, the GHBA has committed to giving back to the community in which its members build and serve. One of the largest contributions is through GHBA’s Benefit Homes Project, a 42-year-old charity that raises funds for HomeAid Houston, a non-profit that builds shelters for those facing homelessness, and for Operation Finally Home (OFH), a charity that builds new mortgage-free homes for injured veterans returning from active duty and their families.
It typically takes more than 100 vendors, trades and suppliers to build a new home. When the GHBA partners with a member to construct a GHBA Benefit Home, the number is no different, but the arrangement is much more complicated.
Each year, two homes are built for the Benefit Homes Project with donated materials and services from GHBA members—everything from the site preparation work and the survey, through construction and even the closing. Donations are key to ensuring the homes, when sold at market value, raise crucial funds for two local charities.
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Throughout the Benefit Homes Project’s 42-year history, more than 110 homes have been built with these donations, raising more than $12 million for local charities.
More than 35 builders have constructed a Benefit Home, and most of them have built multiple times. These builders typically use their own vendors to build the homes, and that means most of those vendors have donated their materials and services to multiple Benefit Homes as well.
Chesmar Homes has built the most Benefit Homes—a record seven. Their most recent was in 2021 during the height of the pandemic.
“The generosity of Houston’s homebuilding industry, especially the vendors and suppliers,” said Patrick Mayhan, 2021 chairman of the Benefit Homes Project and a three-time Benefit Homes builder, “is unprecedented. They donate as much as they possibly can in materials, appliances, services, and the list goes on. These donations are what make a Benefit Home so successful in raising funds.”
Another donation is the homesite. Twenty-four developers have participated in the Benefit Homes Project through lot donations. Land Tejas is the top donor with 18, and next is the Howard Hughes Corporation with six lots donated in Bridgeland alone, and several over the years in The Woodlands.
Vendors and suppliers who donated to the most recent Benefit Home built by Chesmar Homes include: Builders Post-Tension, Crossville, DataSmart, Broan-NuTone, Houston Window Fashions, Templar Electric, Houston Hurricane, The Ark Cast Stone, Austin Windstorm Construction, Stewart Door Co., Perfection Supply, GE Appliances, Master Brick, Action Landscape, Sprint Sand & Clay, Tony’s Insulation, Seybro Door & Weatherstrip, Builders FirstSource, Allpoints Surveying, Surface Systems of Texas, Bac Trac Plumbing, Rock Materials, Simpson Strong-Tie, A-Tak Pest Control, Flooring Services, GAF, Southeast Tile, and TopBuild Home Services.
“The future of the GHBA’s annual charity fundraiser is in the hands of some of the most philanthropic people within the homebuilding industry,” added Mayhan. “The vendors, suppliers, the builders and developers continue to make a difference in the lives of those less fortunate in our community. We can’t thank them all enough for sharing in the Benefit Home vision.”