Latest local news, weather, high school sports in the Rio Grande Valley

Carlos Garza and his family have owned Garza furniture in San Benito for 50 years.

Up until now, they've never had a problem.

"There’s a lot of rodents, cockroaches, stuff like that coming in, we have to barricade the back doors so the stuff doesn't come into the building and ruin our merchandise " said store manager Carlos Garza.

Garza said the rodents are coming from a home off Reagan Street in San Benito.

It's one of many that have been left abandoned for years.

But thanks to a $500,000 federal grant, this home and many others will be torn down, then rebuilt and sold to families with an average income of $52,000 or less. 

"The objective here is to help the community in cleaning up these sites, put a good family in a news home, its a win win situation for all" said San Benito Housing Authority Director Arnold Padilla.

Proceeds of these sales will then go to the state to fund similar projects.

Padilla said they have been rebuilding run down homes for years, using their own money and equipment.

With the state's involvement, Padilla said the city will see growth in neighborhoods that may appear to have fallen through the cracks. 

"The neighboring home values less, simply because you have a dilapidated structure next to it, as you remove it and build a new one, that offers the ability for housing prices to stay at level they're at now," Padilla said.

Padilla said they currently have 70 homes that need to be demolished and rebuilt.

However, because they applied for the grant two years ago, the $500,000 will only cover five homes.

Padilla said they will continue to apply for more grants.