May 2, 2023
Jesse Palacios grew up in the 1945 shotgun-style cottage he lives in today. “I always knew I wanted to retire in my old neighborhood. Where my roots are,” he says. A decade-long career in the Marines that began in 1966 brought him around the world and jumping from state to state in the US. After meeting his wife in Cincinnati and starting a family, Jesse moved back to Austin, TX. to get support from his parents with the children. Jesse and his wife cared for both parents until their death. He inherited his father’s home which was in terrible disrepair when he moved in. “It needed a lot of work,” he remembers.
Initially, Jesse was able to put money into the roof repair that was needed, but a shifting foundation was creating serious issues in the house including warped doors, cracking ceilings, and walls. Jesse is active in his community and advocates to slow gentrification in the area with the nonprofit he co-founded, Mi My Montopolis. It was through the organization that he partnered with the city and came upon Meals on Wheels Central Texas Home Repair program. Now, because of the generous funding of The Home Depot Foundation, Jesse’s family home has updated floors, a repaired foundation, and ADA additions to his bathroom. “That came just in time,” says Jesse. “I was starting to shuffle and trip. Those grab bars are great.” Before the home repairs, Jesse notes he was almost embarrassed to have his kids visit for the holidays. Now, he feels proud to have them in. “I’m grateful that the house looks presentable.”