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Rural communities like Glen Rose are also facing a growing but often overlooked housing crisis. In Somervell County, more than 30% of renters are cost-burdened, spending an unsustainable portion of their income on housing. With average wages around $23 per hour and median household incomes under $70,000, access to stable, affordable housing remains out of reach for many working families—particularly those in recovery or reentering the workforce.

At the same time, mental distress and substance-related deaths remain high. Over 15% of adults report frequent mental distress, and regional drug and alcohol mortality rates exceed both Texas and national averages. For those in recovery, the lack of affordable housing is one of the most cited barriers to maintaining sobriety and reintegration into community life.

The River Rose Leadership Center is responding to this dual crisis with a bold, holistic vision. In collaboration with institutional partners like Texas A&M, we are developing a model for spiritually anchored, economically sustainable communities. Our next step is to pilot affordable transitional housing on the River Rose campus, exploring tiny home models and community land trust strategies integrated with vocational training and leadership development.

Our goal is not merely to provide shelter—but to cultivate stability, dignity, and belonging. In a region where services are scarce and hope is fragile, River Rose seeks to build not just homes, but pathways to wholeness—for individuals, families, and the wider community they will help to renew.