At 70, Dee Baker Arrives Home

This year, Dee Baker is celebrating her 70th birthday with a gift she once thought might never happen: a home of her own. “I was concentrating on my seventieth birthday party this next month,” Dee said. “I wasn’t concentrating on buying a house.” Instead, homeownership came into focus at a time when Dee least expected it. 

Dee’s journey toward homeownership began during one of the most difficult periods of her life. Following a catastrophic surgery in 2022, she pulled away from church, community events, and many of the people and activities that had once been a regular part of her routine.   

After some time, Dee decided she was ready to return to her community. When she returned to church, she learned about the Paving the Way for Homeownership event hosted by Oregon Realtist NAREB. She had missed the event the year before, but this time, she was determined to attend. “This is not by chance that I came to church today,” she remembered thinking. 

During the event, Dee connected with Michele Geraci, a HUD-certified housing counselor who would eventually become her Arrive counselor. Dee said, “She just had the right words at the right time to make me snap. When I say snap, I mean, to make me feel like I could do this.” Michele’s encouragement was especially meaningful after everything Dee had experienced. 

Dee began preparing for homeownership through classes offered by Arrive, including Getting Your House in Order, a culturally specific financial education class for the African American/Black community. Dee put those lessons into action by organizing her home and financial records. “The journey — it wasn’t easy. But let me tell you, nothing is a Pandora’s box,” Dee said.   

Dee’s search for a home of her own led her to a condo in a familiar community where she had attended Bible study. Dee submitted an offer and moved toward closing. She was so nervous that she did not begin packing. But the night before closing, she drove past the property and saw that the ‘For Sale’ sign had been removed. “It was at that point that I knew this might really be happening,” she said. 

When Dee later returned to Paving the Way the following year, she found herself looking for the Portland Housing Center booth and learned that the organization had changed its name to Arrive. The new name immediately resonated with her. “Nobody told me, but I felt like I have arrived,” Dee said. “Perfect switch for a perfect feeling for what my feeling was at that time.” The timing of the name change felt fitting as she reflected on her journey.  

Dee’s relationship with Arrive will continue after closing through the Homeowner Success Program, where she can continue working with her counselor, Michele, as she adjusts to homeownership. Now, as Dee prepares to celebrate her 70th birthday, she is also celebrating a new chapter and a home of her own.