Agency mum on housing program start

Nearly a year after joining a state-sponsored initiative to help eligible residents buy first-time homes, Jefferson County has yet to receive details of when financing might become available two weeks after a similar program launched in 22 other counties.

The Montana Community Reinvestment Plan (MCRP), created in 2023 via House Bill 819, enabled counties to partner with a nonprofit “community reinvestment organizations” (CRO) to cover up to 30% of a new home cost for first-time buyers who make 60% to 140% of that county’s median income.

The legislation authorized $470,854 to be made available to county residents for mortgage buy-downs and last December, the County Commission selected Billings-based HomeFront as its CRO. In late July, HomeFront told the Commission it planned to start a construction program “to deliver occupancy-ready, attainable housing.”