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Homeowner Photos & Stories
This page contains Proud Ground homeowner stories; please contact Kathy to obtain high-resolution versions of these photos, for use with permission only.
Anita
"There are times when I just lay in bed and think, what it will be like to be here in 10 years? 20 years? I have never been able to stay in one place for very long."
As renters, Anita and her family were often on the move. In fact, they moved eight times in 10 years. And too many times they lived in substandard housing because, as a single parent, that was all Anita could afford.
Then Anita learned about Proud Ground.
“I told my best friend that Proud Ground has provided me with something I never thought I would be able to have.”
Anita was surprised at some of the feelings that homeownership brought up.
“There are times when I just lay in bed and think, what it will be like to be here in 10 years? 20 years? I have never been able to stay in one place for very long. When the children were growing up we moved constantly; the year my oldest son was in kindergarten, we moved five times.
“Owning a home is like the cornerstone of your life. There’s some stability for me and my children, it’s a place where they can visit – and just to know that my grandchildren have a place that they can come to is wonderful. Sometimes I wake up at night and still can’t believe it’s mine.
“We even have a dog now, Molly, a black Lab and American pit mix – and we don’t have to argue about her with the landlord. We rescued her, just like Proud Ground rescued us.”
Photo by Carol Yarrow for Proud Ground
Lanesheia
"My house payment is less than I paid for rent!"
When Lanesheia’s rent increased she decided it was time to buy a home. Lanesheia and her family (including Benji the dog!) are now enjoying life in a beautiful new home built by HOST and purchased in May 2007 through a buyer initiated grant from Proud Ground.
Lanesheia’s advice to others: “Never give up!” She continues, “As a single mom with three kids on a limited income, a lot of people told me I’d never own my own home. But they were wrong!” Lanesheia did her homework and explored all her options – and PCLT was a perfect fit. “The best part,” she says, “is that my new house payment is less than I paid for rent!”
Photo by Carol Yarrow for Proud Ground
Jen
“Owning a Proud Ground house means that I am part of something bigger. I am glad I have a partner in my homeownership."
Jen’s a bike commuter. So when she considered homeownership, cost was, of course, an issue, but so was location. It was important that she be able to easily ride her bike or take mass transit.
And she does! Jen’s on-the-bike-route, close-to-transit, affordable home was purchased through Proud Ground's Smart Growth Buyer Initiated program, pairing affordability with livability by promoting homeownership near mass transit.
But, for Jen, it’s not just about location and personal affordability: “Owning a Proud Ground house means that I am part of something bigger...when I am ready to sell my house I will be able to pass on an affordable home to the next buyer. As I make repairs, work on my garden, I think about the next owners. And I am glad I have a partner in my homeownership.”
Photo by Carol Yarrow
Hociel & Silvia
"It’s a great feeling of independence and stability.”
When Silvia Romero-Diaz and her husband, Hociel, decided they wanted to find a place to start a family, they knew they had to find a more permanent, stable place than the apartment complex in which they had been living.
“In apartments, there are always problems,” Romero-Diaz explained. “You share walls and outdoor spaces and you don’t always have the best neighbors.”
The family wanted to find an affordable home that offered space for growing children and a community of like-minded neighbors. For Romero-Diaz, Proud Ground offered an opportunity for housing that met all their needs.
Reflecting on the benefits afforded by Proud Ground, Romero-Diaz is quick to describe the self-sufficiency and security their home allows.
“It’s a great feeling of independence and stability,” she says. “We highly recommend it.”
The family appreciated the help they received navigating the home-buying process. Today, with the family’s housing secure, Hociel and Silvia enjoy focusing on more important things like the education of their children. They are committed to raising their children to speak Spanish fluently and surrounding them with their rich cultural heritage.
“We want them to grow up smart and strong,” Romero-Diaz says. “We want to make sure they continue in school and grow to be helpful adults working and contributing to the world.”
Photo courtesy of Proud Ground
Tracie
“I feel such joy; I can’t believe this is really mine."
In 2009 Proud Ground had the privilege of partnering with the Minority Homebuyer Assistance Collaborative to help two families achieve homeownership.
MHAC, a local coalition dedicated to promoting minority homeownership, provides culturally specific education & counseling services. The coalition also has small grants available to help households on their way to homeownership.
Proud Ground homeowner Tracie is a perfect example of the difference MHAC can make. Tracie fell in love with her brand new, Earth Advantage town home in Lents from day one. Though the home was offered through Proud Ground for $124,499, the monthly payments were still just a bit too high for Tracie’s budget.
MHAC’s $5,000 down-payment grant was just the right amount to bring Tracie’s monthly payments down to a level that made owning her first home possible.
“There’s not a better feeling than becoming a homeowner,” Tracie explains as she describes the impact homeownership has on her and her three children. “I feel such joy; I can’t believe this is really mine. Hopefully now my kids will want to become homeowners.”
Who's in the photo?:
Tracie is joined at the Pardee Commons ribbon cutting by (from left) John Mohlis, PDC; Tom Walsh and Serena Cruz Walsh, Cityhouse Builders LLC; Portland City Commissioner Nick Fish; and Greg Brown, Albina Bank (Proud Ground Executive Director Jesse Beason is hidden behind Ms. Cruz Walsh).
Photo by Rebecca Maxwell
Michelle
“I can't believe this is my place.”
That was Michelle’s first thought as she walked in the front door of the home she now owns.
Tired of moving every time her rent increased, tired of asking for permission to paint or fix things up, tired of living without pets, and ready to have a place of her own, Michelle was ready to become a homeowner.
Michelle attended a Proud Ground orientation class hosted by her employer, New Seasons Market. Thanks to a great partnership, Michelle is one of four households who learned about Proud Ground’s program through New Seasons.
But her favorite part about being in her home isn’t inside at all.
“I love to garden,” Michelle explains. “I like knowing I can plant a biannual and know I will be around to see it bloom.”
Photo by Brian Lincoln for Proud Ground
Yvonne & family
"Finally, we have someplace special to call home."
Yvonne’s family was growing. She and her daughter, Christeen, have always been close, and her granddaughter Cheyenne was accustomed to being around her every day. So living with her family – all three generations – was a priority. When Christeen and her husband, Nathan, were expecting their second child, they realized they needed more space.
Working with the Native American Youth and Family Center and Proud Ground, Yvonne discovered that homeownership was, indeed, possible. In fact, in her words, it was a "painless journey."
"There was genuine interest in seeing you succeed in this venture," Yvonne says of working with NAYA Family Center and Proud Ground.
While Yvonne knows the many benefits of homeownership, it’s sometimes the little things that mean a lot. “When it rains, I don’t worry about what may be getting wet because my new home doesn’t leak!”
And Cheyenne is thrilled to have a room of her own for the first time in her life.
“Finally, we have someplace special to call home.”
Photo by Brian Lincoln for Proud Ground
The Turcios
"“It’s because of our children that we worked so hard to buy our own home—so that they could have a stable roof over their heads and a home they could call their own.”
When Gladis and her family (husband Luis and children Luis Jr., Aileen and Charlie) became homeowners they had a slightly different experience than most new homeowners: with the help of Proud Ground and the Housing Authority of Portland, they were able to buy the home they had been renting — and had come to love.
“I remember that my daughter was very emotionally moved when she found out we would be buying the home where she was growing up and having wonderful childhood memories,” Gladis explains.
Gladis goes on to point out a major difference between owning their own home and renting it, “The tranquility of knowing I don’t have to move.”
And about Proud Ground’s program that helped Gladis and her family get to this point? “ It’s a great opportunity to buy and own a house of your own — it’s an opportunity of a lifetime.”
Photo by Erin Houlihan for Proud Ground
Cheryl
"This Proud Ground home was a no brainer!"
Cheryl bought Proud Ground’s 100th home after four years on our wait list, waiting for just the right time and home. She had long dreamed of having her own place with a garden, and, as an avid bike-commuter, she wanted to live within biking distance of work. However, even though she’s been working in her field for many years, Cheryl just couldn’t afford a home on the open market. That’s where Proud Ground came in, and now Cheryl has everything she wanted – for just $143,000.
“This Proud Ground home was a no brainer!” Cheryl exclaims. “Now I look forward to relaxing on the front porch with friends and saying hello to neighbors, planting a garden, and having many messy cooking days in the kitchen.”
Many community partners helped make Cheryl’s dream of homeownership come true: The Portland Housing Center; Habitat for Humanity Portland/Metro East; HomeStreet Bank; and the Portland Housing Bureau.
Photo by Brian Lincoln for Proud Ground
The Ibarras
Debra & Tim's chicken
Photo by Proud Ground homeowner Debra Paxton
Sherry
Pardee Commons
Pardee Commons is a 10-unit project in Lents that uniquely combines duplex-style townhomes and detached units with shared green space and countless green and energy-efficient features. Thanks to Proud Ground, PDC, and Cityhouse Builders these homes had an amazingly affordable average sales price of $147,0000. It’s hard to imagine a housing project that is so visually diverse, green and socially sustainable at these prices. And as an Earth Advantage Platinum Home development, these 2 & 3 bedroom units with shared courtyard make for a very green, family-friendly project.
Pardee Commons, view from a porch
Pear trees
Pardee Commons Photos by Rebecca Maxwell
