Five years after Habitat for Humanity of Williamson County purchased land for a development in Georgetown called Shepherd’s Village, officials with the nonprofit will hold a groundbreaking ceremony April 12 to celebrate the start of construction.

The big picture

The city of Georgetown recently approved HFHWC’s building permit application to start the first pair of townhome-style condominiums, HFHWC Executive Director Philip Golden said.

The community's ultimate buildout will have 12 total condos divided between six condominium buildings housing two families each, Golden said. The condos are expected to provide affordable housing in the area to those in need.

In 2020, the nonprofit purchased a roughly 1-acre lot at 502 W. 21st St., Georgetown to build the community, according to previous Community Impact reporting.



Once the condos are built, Golden said the homes are set to have addresses at:

• 302 W. 22nd St., Georgetown
• 304 W. 22nd St., Georgetown

The project faced delays due to zoning changes, site development plan approvals and environmental regulations related to the Edwards Aquifer. All delays have since been favorably resolved, Golden said.

“It's been a long ordeal for us,” Golden said. “Ultimately, it'll be a really large project for us that's going to take place over a few years, I suspect.”

By the numbers

The first condo will be housed by single mothers who met the nonprofit’s homeowner requirements, Golden said.

According to HFHWC’s website, homeowner applicants must:

• Spend at least one year living or working in Williamson County
• Be willing to complete 300-500 volunteer hours

Shepherd’s Village will be available to families meeting these requirements and making less than 80% of the median income in Georgetown, according to the nonprofit’s website.

Looking ahead

It's been almost three and a half years since the nonprofit constructed new homes in Williamson County, Golden said.

The nonprofit currently has enough funding to construct the first condo at 502 W. 21st Street, along with a separate home near Leander Street in Georgetown, he said.

“We'll need to do some additional fundraising to complete the rest of Shepherd's Village,” Golden said.

The context

On March 18, the development’s contractor began working on the initial slab for the condo, Golden said. The April 12 groundbreaking event at 10 a.m. will serve as an official ceremony for Shepherd’s Village.

“We want to have a ceremony to recognize and thank our donors and supporters and to raise awareness of the ongoing mission that Habitat for Humanity has to build affordable homes in our community,” Golden said. “We're very thankful for Williamson County, the Shepherd family and other donors who have supported us in the endeavor.”

The property was named after local physician James Shepherd and his family, who donated funding for the land, according to previous Community Impact reporting.