In 2023, Natalie Kiyah of Portland was living in a homeless shelter and was $100,000 in debt, but she had a plan. With the help of Portland Housing Center (PHC) and Oregon Housing and Community Services’ (OHCS) Down Payment Assistance-Culturally Responsive Organizations (DPA-CRO) program, Kiyah was able to pay down what she owed and buy a home for her and her four children, so they no longer have to worry about stable housing.

DPA-CRO helped address one of the most difficult barriers to homeownership: affording a down payment. The program under HB 5011 allowed OHCS to provide culturally responsive organizations with funds to help reduce the homeownership gap among Black, Indigenous, and other people of color in Oregon. 

From 2023 to 2025, partner organizations distributed almost $9 million to 276 homebuyers, which included 201 first-generation and 75 first-time homebuyers.

In Kiyah’s case, the program helped to afford her not only a permanent place to live, but also piece of mind and the opportunity to build generational wealth for her family.

“I can rest, knowing I have a safe and secure home that is mine,” she said. “I can dream. My baby won't have memories of moving from place to place. I don't have fear of a landlord charging me for random things I did not even break.”

Shariff of Gresham, who did not want to use his last name, is another client of PHC who used DPA-CRO funds to buy a house for him, his wife, and two young sons. Another OHCS grant for Language Access and Community Outreach and Engagement helped PHC break the language barrier with Shariff, who is a Burmese speaker with English as a second language, by providing an interpreter for his counseling appointments, homebuying class, the closing, and other lending communications.

“They were able to lead their own path, accessing complex lending terms in their primary language, which created meaningful accessibility and empowered them along the way to make informed decisions," said Jessenia Juarez, lending director at PHC. "The funds allowed the clients to be active participants in their journey toward homeownership rather than just passengers in the process.”

Both OHCS-funded resources and the dedicated team at PHC were necessary for Shariff and his family to realize the dream of homeownership.

“I couldn’t be prouder of what Shariff and we as an organization have accomplished, and in large part, not possible without the OHCS CRO funds,” said Margot Black, director of operations at PHC.

Although the DPA-CRO program’s funds have run out, OHCS provides other types of down payment assistance. To learn more, visit OHCS’ website.