At Ladera Living, we believe a home is so much more than walls and a roof. It represents safety, stability, belonging, and the opportunity to build a brighter future.
Today, we invite our homeowners, trade partners, vendors, and friends to join us in a mission that embodies those values.
Together with Building Homes for Heroes, Ladera Living is proud to build and donate a mortgage-free home for Army Staff Sergeant Edwin Santiago and his wife, Lydia, in our Little Elm community. But this home cannot be built by one company alone. It will take an entire community of generous partners who believe in giving back to those who have sacrificed so much for our country.
A Hero Who Has Given So Much
Army Staff Sergeant Edwin Santiago dedicated more than 20 years of his life to serving the United States, including two deployments to Iraq supporting transportation and logistics operations in dangerous combat zones.
During his service, an improvised explosive device (IED) struck his convoy, leaving him with permanent physical injuries. Like many veterans, the invisible wounds of war followed him home as he battled PTSD. Later, while continuing his commitment to serving fellow veterans at the Tampa VA, Edwin suffered a stroke.
Despite these extraordinary challenges, Edwin has never stopped serving others. His strength, resilience, and commitment to his fellow veterans continue to inspire everyone who meets him.
Now it is our turn to serve him.
A Home Built with Gratitude
The Santiago family’s new home will be built inside Ladera Little Elm, our gated 55+ active adult community, using our thoughtfully designed Casina floor plan. Designed for comfort, accessibility, and everyday living, the home will provide approximately 2,231 square feet with two bedrooms, two-and-a-half bathrooms, and a two-car garage.
For Ladera Living, this project carries special meaning.
Several members of our leadership and construction teams are veterans themselves. Construction Manager Alex Stone and Vice President of Operations Cash Grnwalt both served in the United States Army and understand firsthand the sacrifices military families make. Their leadership on this project reflects a continued commitment to serving those who have served our nation.
This is more than another home under construction.
It is a labor of gratitude.
We Need Your Help
Building a home of this significance requires an incredible team effort.
We are calling on our valued trade partners, vendors, suppliers, and community supporters to help us bring this home to life through donated labor, materials, services, and financial contributions.
Whether you provide framing, roofing, flooring, electrical work, landscaping, appliances, cabinetry, plumbing, painting, or any other construction service, your contribution can make a lasting difference in the life of this deserving veteran and his family.
Every donation—large or small—helps move this project one step closer to completion.
A Community That Builds Together
One of the most meaningful aspects of this project is the opportunity for the entire community to become part of the home’s story.
Throughout construction, Ladera Living will host our Walls of Honor initiative, inviting homeowners, visitors, trade partners, and community members to visit one of our sales offices and write messages of encouragement, appreciation, and gratitude for the Santiago family.
These messages will be permanently placed within the framing of the home before the walls are closed, creating a lasting reminder that this home was built with the support and appreciation of an entire community.
Long after construction is complete, those words of encouragement will remain part of the home’s foundation.
About Building Homes for Heroes
Since 2006, Building Homes for Heroes has been dedicated to rebuilding lives by providing mortgage-free homes to injured veterans and their families. The nationally recognized nonprofit has gifted more than 450 homes across 36 states while providing ongoing support services that help veterans and their families thrive.
Ladera Living is honored to partner with an organization whose mission aligns so closely with our own belief that strong communities are built through compassion, generosity, and service.
Help Us Build Hope
This project represents the very best of what can happen when businesses, neighbors, and communities come together for a common purpose.
We invite our trade partners, homeowners, and friends to stand beside us as we build more than a house—we build hope, security, and a future for a true American hero.
If you would like to contribute financially to this mission, donations can be made directly through the Building Homes for Heroes campaign benefiting Army Staff Sergeant Edwin Santiago and his family.
Donate today and help us give back to a man who has given so much.
Together, we can build more than a home.
Together, we can build a legacy of gratitude.