Written by Wendi Frith
Cece is the cornerstone of her community. And it just so happens that her community is Cornerstone Condominiums.
When residents first moved into the Aloha neighborhood 25 years ago, Cece’s neighbors quickly recognized her as a doer. They elected Cece as the HOA’s first president. When her three-year term ended and it was time to elect a new president, her neighbors told her to keep doing it. “Nobody wanted it,” she laughs. She was good at it, and they trusted her.
And she loved it. “I’m so used to that kind of work,” she explains. “As part of my job in crime prevention, we would organize neighborhood watches. The neighbors met regularly and brought their ideas to make our community a safer place.”
Cece’s care for her community is clear in her professional background. She worked as a drug and alcohol counselor when she first moved to Cornerstone. After that, she worked with the Hillsboro Police Department as a Domestic Violence Advocate before moving into crime prevention. She says these experiences equipped her with good listening and problem-solving skills for community leadership.
“If people are upset about something or want to understand something, then it’s really good to always have someone.” And Cece was happy to be that person for Cornerstone.
Before buying her home in 2000, Cece lived with the uncertainty of unstable housing. Renting apartments big enough for herself and her three children was already a strain. Then came a serious back injury and surgery. During that difficult stretch, her colleague told her about Habitat for Humanity Portland Region.
“I had never heard of it, so I looked it up,” said Cece. She was surprised to find an immediate opportunity to apply. “I thought if they selected me, it would be perfect. I would love it!”
When she learned that her application had been approved, everything changed. She was so happy to give her children a stable place to call home.
“They loved it. We used to have to move around a lot,” she says. “And it finally stopped, so they were way happier in their permanent home.”
Finding a permanent community
“My daughters had their own rooms, which is good because they were like vinegar and oil,” she laughs. “And my son was loving it because he could have friends over in his own space and listen to music and play games.”
They lived within walking distance of a convenience store for snacks, and a bus line to ride to the rec center. That freedom helped build confidence and peace for her family. And that stability meant even more because Cece and her children helped create it with their own hands.
Cece’s family spent hours on the build site helping shape their home. She remembers the catharsis of breaking up leftover concrete from the parking area paving. Every day, they were surrounded by reminders of what they had built together.
“I loved it when all of us got to work on the driveway,” she recalls. “And my son was really fond of the stairs because he’d worked on them.”
The next generation
The first generation of children who grew up at Cornerstone has largely moved out, but the tight-knit community that raised them remains intact.
“All the original Cornerstone kids are grown up with lives and families of their own. The ones who are local bring their children to visit,” Cece smiles. “It is such a delight to see and get to know their new little families.”
Cece has made her home a haven for extended family — her brother, sister, and grandson live with her now.
“Giving my family members an opportunity to experience the same neighborly interactions, sense of stability, and community is important to me,” Cece says.
That security Cece loves providing for others has also helped her through difficult times.
When she began dealing with health issues in 2010, she says that having an affordable home made all the difference.
“When I got sick—and I mean really sick—I thank God my Habitat home was affordable to me. If I lived somewhere else… I wouldn’t be able to afford the rent.”
While Cece has set aside her responsibilities as HOA president to focus on her health, it seems the only thing that’s changed is her title.
“If there’s something wrong, neighbors will still come and knock on my door,” she beams. “They know I care.”
