Erin Napier says HGTV nearly blocked Laurel hospital maternity renovation

Collider reports that Erin Napier revealed HGTV was hesitant to approve a Home Town renovation of the maternity wing at South Central Regional Medical Center in Laurel, Mississippi, a project she described as deeply personal.

Ahead of the new season, the Napiers told Fox News Digital the space mattered because of family ties and long personal history: Erin said, "I was born there. My babies were born there. All my friends' babies were born there," and noted her father worked at the hospital for 44 years. Erin called the room "sacred ground" and said she "had to, like, beg HGTV to let us do it because it’s not a house, it’s not a garden, but it was so important." She also said she cried twice during the episode as the couple worked closely with nursing staff and doctors and met requests such as residential-feeling sconces and restroom lighting that would make mothers "feel beautiful."

Despite HGTV's initial nervousness about a project that broke the usual format, the renovation went forward and the Napiers say it stayed true to the series' mission of honoring their community. Home Town airs Sundays at 8:00 pm on HGTV and all episodes are available to stream on HBO Max.

Key Topics

Culture, Erin Napier, Ben Napier, Home Town, Hgtv, Laurel Mississippi