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Project Management 

Dominique in her home in Chicago. 

Dominique W. has a master’s degree in project management that seems to have served her as well personally as it did professionally. In 2024, Dominique tackled buying a home while juggling her professional life and raising twins as a single mother. But she really put her project management skills to work when additional circumstances in her life demanded her attention.

As a domestic abuse survivor dealing with cyber harassment from a former partner, Dominique was already managing multiple complex situations when, on top of all that, her landlord tried to evict her, despite her being current on rent and in compliance with her lease. Rather than let these obstacles derail her homeownership goals, she approached the home-buying process like any other project – rolling up her sleeves and getting to work. Somewhere in the midst of it all, Dominique found the time to work with local law enforcement on issues around cyber harassment, so they’d be better equipped to help others in the future.   

Through a social media post, Dominique learned about a homebuyer event hosted by Self-Help's Reclaiming Chicago Communities partner, Lawndale Christian Development Corporation (LCDC). She attended and connected with a credit counselor who helped her raise her credit score by over 100 points. Self-Help's mortgage loan officer Daniel Martinez then helped Dominique access three down payment assistance programs totaling over $140,000, plus appraisal gap assistance and an affordable EquityBoost loan. Her mortgage payment ended up only $120 more than her previous rent.

Dominique closed on her modern, energy-efficient Reclaiming Chicago Communities home in Lawndale in December, just in time for Christmas. The home is not far from where she grew up. Dominique now works for Inherent, the innovative home builder who constructs homes for the Reclaiming Chicago Communities project.

Dominique continues her advocacy work, speaking publicly about domestic violence awareness and winning a Champion of Justice award from Ascend Justice. For her, sharing her story raises awareness and helps others facing similar challenges.

Everyone deserves to feel respected and safe in their home life and relationships. If you or someone you know needs help, call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-SAFE (7233) or visit thehotline.org.

About Reclaiming Chicago Communities

Self-Help proudly serves as a key lending partner in the Reclaiming Chicago Communities (RCC) program, an initiative born from United Power for Action and Justice's collaboration with Chicago advocacy organizations. Through strategic partnerships, and with participation from the City of Chicago, RCC purchases and renovates homes in underinvested neighborhoods, creating homeownership opportunities for community members previously excluded from this pathway to stability and wealth-building.