Project Management

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 Equity Boost loan. Her mortgage payment ended up only $120 more than her previous rent.