Building Stability and Wealth Through Innovative Modular Homes

Space was tight in the apartment where Carlos Hernandez lived with his two children. He longed for something better, for his kids to at least have their own rooms — and he also wanted to stay close to his extended family in Brownsville, Texas.

Hernandez found his answer in a 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom modular home by the nonprofit housing developer cdcb I come dream. come build, that not only gave him over 1,000 square feet of space, but flexibility, too. Through its DreamBuild program, cdcb is making strong, more disaster resilient homeownership a reality for Rio Grande Valley families who earn low to moderate incomes by giving homebuyers like Hernandez the ability to design their own homes — from its size, down to its fixtures and paint colors — to meet their specific needs and budget. With this innovative approach to housing construction, 32-year-old Hernandez has the option to expand his home in the future if his family grows or his needs change.

Thanks to cdcb’s innovative approach to affordable housing design and construction, coupled with its financial and educational products, “we are helping to build wealth for low-income families,” CEO Nick Mitchell-Bennett said.

JPMorganChase has been integral to cdcb’s endeavor, by providing $4.5 million in philanthropic capital since 2022 to support the organization’s modular home production capability, upgrade its project management systems and provide more consultation to sites where it’s expanding the DreamBuild model.

“Rising costs make it harder to maintain and own a home,” said Abigail Suarez, Executive Director of Global Philanthropy at JPMorganChase. “cdcb’s modular production model not only lowers total costs and speeds up production, but it is also scalable—creating a clearer pathway to homeownership for more communities.”

Since 1974, cdcb has been providing safe, affordable housing to people in the Rio Grande Valley and is now one of the largest nonprofit producers of single-family housing in Texas. In 2020, it launched DreamBuild to rapidly create disaster-resilient homes. “Why wait for hurricanes?” said Mitchell Bennett. “We need to build faster and cheaper, and homes must withstand hurricanes, fires, floods.”

Partnering with buildingcommunityWORKSHOP, cdcb and homebuyers now manage the entire process—from mortgage financing to design and build. At its Rio Grande Valley “farm,” modular homes are produced and placed in about two months, with ongoing manufacturing improvements to keep costs reasonable. Base units start at $145,000, with prices varying by features. In 2025, 65% of buyers were women earning an average of $36,610, many in underserved rural and unincorporated areas or replacing dilapidated structures.

In 2026, cdcb plans 40 new homes—about a 1,000% increase since its first modular unit in 2022—and is scaling to Kentucky, Arkansas, and Dallas. The goal is to train other nonprofits to manufacture and, as a multi-state mortgage lender, provide financing.

JPMorganChase’s support for cdcb is part of the firm’s focus on addressing  housing affordability challenges across America. To increase housing supply, JPMorganChase invests philanthropic capital to tackle the largest cost drivers in housing production such as through construction innovations. By supporting organizations that are advancing scalable solutions, JPMorganChase is helping to increase housing supply across the country and creating a pathway to economic security through sustainable, affordable homeownership for people like Carlos Hernandez, who often have not had access to the opportunity.

For Hernandez, the DreamBuild house he purchased for $199,000 not only provided his children with their own bedrooms and the overall space his family longed for; it also gave him something less tangible, but powerful: the stability and dignity that comes with homeownership

“I was motivated by the privilege of having something of my own,” he said.

cdcb I come dream. come build is not affiliated with JPMorgan Chase & Co and its affiliates. JPMorgan Chase & Co and its affiliates are not responsible for any products and services offered by cdcb I come dream. come build and does not make any representations or warranties of any kind express or implied about the completeness, accuracy, reliability, suitability, or availability for any particular purpose.