J.C. Wade, a former professional boxer, wasn't used to asking for help and so for four years, he had a pot under his kitchen sink because the pipe was clogged. Then in 2020, a friend told him about Taking Ownership PDX, which has helped more than 50 Black homeowners across Portland's gentrifying neighborhoods since July 2020. To help Black homeowners age in place, it focuses on maintenance to keep houses livable, and long-needed repairs and renovations to decks, roofs, and plumbing. Wade's home was one of its first projects, and he was amazed when a team of eight dismantled a rotting shed, fixed up the yard, cleaned the basement, and repaired the sink. As well as hundreds of volunteers who do non-skilled labor, Wyatt works with four licensed contractors who handle structural projects and with two Black-owned landscaping companies, an electrician, and a plumbing company.

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