BILLINGS The Housing Authority of Billings and HomeFront are obtaining land in hopes of building more affordable workforce housing.Currently, projects are in the works at two locations: land across the street from Castle Rock M iddle School and land off of Orchard Avenue near Sam's Club.Click here to learn more: HomeFront Billings obtaining land to build workforce housing without down paymentsBoth projects are the aftermath of House Bill 819, which was passed by the Montana Legislature in 2023 and aimed to address the affordable housing problem across the state. The bill allows organizations like HomeFront to work with cities like Billings to put people in homes that do not require a down payment."It gives an opportunity of home ownership to people who might not be able to ever have that," HomeFront CEO Patti Webster said Thursday afternoon.Webster said her organization is seeking land that owners or entities would exchange and eventually be paid back for as the homes are sold.One of the projects is a partnership with Billings Public Schools, which exchanged a plot of land in the Heights that will feature 33 new housing units."Housing is a good thing. We dont call it affordable housing. We call it workforce housing," Superintendent Erwin Garcia said Thursday morning. "Were making our community better."Garcia said the decision to exchange the land was a no-brainer because the district has no plans for it, and it could help his own employees find housing."Our teachers and staff members have had affordability issues when it comes to housing," Garcia said.Lindsay Gran, the executive director of transportation for the district, said it provides an opportunity for the district to help the community."Its a unique way for the school district to help the community. And not just our staff but public sector employees in general," Gran said. "This land here as far as what school purposes are, we cant build a building here or anything like that."The other project on the South Side, which will be called the South Hills, will break ground next week and feature 35 units of housing.Webster said these two projects are just the beginning of a unique effort to solve the state's housing crisis, with plans of working with other entities underway."Hopefully well be able to do the same with the City of Billings and with the Yellowstone County commissioners. Both of those entities have different pieces of land that could be perfect for this as well," Webster said. ...read more read less