BILLINGS - Neighbors are helping neighbors build their homes thanks to a mutual self-help housing program. Nail by nail, homes are springing up near 80th and King Avenue.

Housing Montana is raising a neighborhood of self-help homes, where people contribute labor in exchange for a down payment on their homes.

Housing Montana Board Member, John Wiesner, explains; "They all come out here either morning or afternoon or whatever their schedule to work on their home, next day they may be working on someone else's home, they could be working on all 11 homes all at once, but no one actually moves in their home till all 11 homes are done and completed. Everybody's helping each other out to build their homes."

Participant in the mutual self-help housing program, Lynda Moore agrees, "I mean we are kinda one big family now. You know everybody knows everybody, you know and you want to do a good job on everybody's house so everybody will do a good job on your house."

Houses range in price from $80,000 to $150,000, that cost includes materials and buying a bit of the lot. Individual mortgage payments will be tied to a family's income. The 11 self-help homes are expected to be completed in early summer. Montana Housing Project is already excepting applicants for next years homes.