Finding a home to purchase or rent in Red Lodge has been stressful. Homeownership continues to feel out of reach in Red Lodge, MT because of rising home prices and a lack of affordable housing. My journey to homeownership started with an ad I saw on Facebook from the Red Lodge Community Foundation posting on behalf of Helena Habitat for Humanity. There was a heavy emphasis on time commitment in the initial self-built housing program meetings. I was concerned as a server for Red Lodge Pizza Co, I wouldn’t be permitted the time off to build on busy weekends. My employers were understanding; I’ve been building alongside my future neighbors since October 2022.
