Proposed Activities

The Community Development Board will make recommendations relative to the following proposed activities on April 5, 2022 at 3:00pm in the Miller Building, 2825 3rd Avenue North, 6th Floor. Funding recommendations will be forwarded to the City Council and a public hearing will be held on April 25, 2022 during the City Council meeting. Information on City Council meetings can be found online. 


First Time Home Buyer Program
The First Time Home Buyer program provides loan financing to assist with down payment and closing costs to low income households to purchase their first home within city limits. Applicants must not have owned a home in the past three years to qualify.

Foreclosure Acquisition, Rehabilitation & Sale Program


The City has purchased several vacant, foreclosed homes to rehabilitate and sale through the First Time Home Buyer program. This program is an extension of the Neighborhood Stabilization Program funded through the Montana Department of Commerce in 2009.

Affordable Housing Development


A minimum of 15% of the HOME annual allocation is required by HUD to be reserved for Community Housing Development Organizations (CHDOs). These funds are made available by the City of Billings through an application and approval process involving both the Community Development Board and the City Council.

Billings Metro VISTA Project


The Billings Metro VISTA Project places AmeriCorps VISTA members with nonprofit and community organizations to work on projects that reduce of risk of homelessness and create the tools people in poverty need to build sustainable futures. Priority focus areas include education, financial literacy, housing, employment, food security, access to healthcare, opioid / addiction prevention, and services benefiting Veterans and military families.

Coronavirus Response

In response to COVID-19 variant surges, the City of Billings plans on utilizing CDBG funding, in addition to CDBG-CV CARES Act funding, to prevent, prepare for, and respond to the coronavirus. Activities include: 
  • Public Facility Improvements: Handwashing stations, public restrooms improvements, infrastructure, accessibility, small-scale rehabilitation, public facility systems, rehabilitation for social distancing, touchless / nonporous surfacing, etc.
  • Public Service Activities: Rent, mental health care, meal distribution, mortgage payments, internet access, utility assistance, childcare, client remote access, vaccination activities, virtual service ability, exposure prevention - staff training, additional cleaning, unmet hospital / public health needs, FEMA match, etc.
The following applications to exclusively prevent, prepare for or respond to the coronavirus were received by January 28, 2022 for public facilities and public services over $15,000: 

Fast-Track Public Services up to $15,000

The Billings City Council approved a fast-track application process to expand social services to meet the needs of those impacted by the pandemic. All activities must prepare for, prevent, or respond to the coronavirus and benefit low-income individuals and families. The fast-track application is available online. Applications are reviewed by Community Development staff for funding recommendation, and forwarded to the City Administrator for a final decision on funding award.