While exploring her options in this demanding field, she applied for an assistant commercial real estate manager position with Interurban Real Estate, which was the turning point for her career. Interurban is a small, woman-owned real estate company based in Portland, Oregon, with 20 employees. For Destiny, the key differentiating feature of this company is Managing Director and Principal Broker, Kristi Carver, CPM®, RPA.
At the time, Kristi was the local IREM chapter president and enthusiastic about Destiny joining both Interurban and the local IREM chapter. Within a short time of her IREM engagement, Destiny became chairperson of the chapter’s Young Professionals committee, and currently serves as the chapter’s Vice President of Communications. Kristi encouraged Destiny to further open the doors offered by IREM, like the IREM DISI (Diversity & Inclusion Succession Initiative) program, a talent management program for professionals from underrepresented groups who are interested in advancing their property management careers.
The first year Destiny applied to the DISI program she didn’t get it. Undeterred, the next year she applied again and was accepted. “That really was the door opener for me. I started working on my CPM. I was able to go to the Global Summit in Toronto. I had a mentor from Texas,” says Destiny. “Being a member of the BIPOC community, I identify as being a person of color. I feel like my position has been opened so that I can be the bridge that closes the gap for a lot of people. My goal is to use my position as 2023-2024 DISI leader, and as a DEI ambassador, to create a DEI chapter here in Portland, with inclusion being the focus. I want to build that foundation, bring in people of color, people from marginalized communities, and really expand IREM in our area.”
Her efforts are being noticed. Competitors are calling to learn more about her work in the DEI domain. She’s making a name for herself in the industry. While the attention is flattering, she attributes much of her success to her IREM mentors – Kristi, Jessica Gies, MaryKay West, Christie Mays and all the IREM members who’ve inspired her to learn, grow, and execute change. She’s making new connections and spreading the word to those in the local property management community who don’t know the value of IREM. Destiny’s work is already making a difference, so much so that she’ll be featured in an upcoming issue of the IREM Journal of Property Management for her DISI role.
Sparking a fire and keeping it lit
Today, Destiny manages 12 commercial properties in downtown Portland, in the Old Town neighborhood. Old Town Portland is home to a large houseless community that includes residents with varying degrees of untreated mental health issues and unregulated drug use. These conditions have led to low occupancy rates for the commercial buildings in the area, and yet, the history and relevance of these extraordinary buildings keep many business owners there, working with firms like Interurban to maintain their investments in the community.
“I believe we just have to stick it out,” says Destiny. “My goal with my buildings is to maintain them right now. Keeping them running, in good shape, and dealing with the issues a large houseless community brings. It’s very challenging, but I love being in Old Town and seeing business owners hunkering down and advocacy centers working to revitalize the neighborhood.”
Some of these revitalization efforts include the local IREM chapter. Before the global pandemic, the neighborhood hosted block parties and community events. Destiny would love to have IREM involved with the advocacy groups working to rebuild that sense of community, and join those supporting the houseless community to get them back on their feet and bring the community together.
At the moment, Destiny’s goal is to get her real estate license and continue pursuing her CPM certification. It’s really important to her to become a CPM and validate her commitment to professionalism and the value she adds to the buildings she manages. As she continues to grow and develop in this demanding field, she also sees joining an asset management company on the property management team to train up-and-coming property managers. She sees her role as a resource to cultivate new property management business as the face of the company.
Inspired by the chance to motivate real change
Destiny is growing with IREM and hopes to advance DEI initiatives on a national level. Her local IREM chapter sees an opportunity to foster a meaningful sense of diversity and inclusion, a climate she’d like to help shape. Building an environment where others feel they belong and can be part of the developing world of property management is important to her – making a difference, advancing real change, and ensuring everyone feels included in the real estate industry.