BUTTE - A few years ago, this portion of Iron Street was a neglected, vacant lot, but a special program has built seven houses specifically for working-class families with tight incomes, and the project continues here off Aluminum Street, where they’re going to build 10 more similar houses that they hope will address Butte’s housing shortage and improve this neighborhood.
WATCH: Butte's Habitat for Humanity housing project is constructing more homes
“It creates a greatly improved division for a primary entry corridor to Uptown Butte and makes critical affordable housing for the community,” National Affordable Housing Network Project Manager Todd Hunkler said.
Habitat for Humanity began building these seven homes three years ago. The owners of these homes helped in the construction.
“It allows you to turn your labor into a down payment. If you can do a year’s worth of work in your spare time and on weekends with your family helping you out, there’s your down payment,” Butte Habitat for Humanity Barbara Miller said.
Three new houses are under construction off Aluminum Street and should be done by September. Seven more houses will be built off Idaho Street. Officials claim projects like this bring about $55 million in tax revenue to the region.
“All the elements are made in Southwest Montana, all the labor, our wall panels are built in Belgrade, that’s in our trade area, everything is built here,” Miller said.
The project has included new paving of streets and alleys in the area and infrastructure upgrades.
“We say to the people they’re not only building their home, but they are doing neighborhood redevelopment by participating in this program,” Hunkler said.
