The Clark Fork Chronicle reports from Montana the Department of Commerce’s HOME Investment Partnership (CHIP) program is helping six low-income residents buy new manufactured homes in St. Regis, MT.  The Mineral County Commissioners approved a grant submitted five years ago by District XI of the state’s Human Resources Council (HRC) to assist first-time homebuyers acquire their own home.  The funding included purchasing the land and installing the infrastructure needed to support the homes.  Said Jim Martin, Executive Director of District XI HRC, “Housing options in rural sparsely populated areas are often limited.  When wages are low, households have difficulty saving for the down payment needed to purchase a home.”  A sign in the middle of the six manufactured homes reads, “Why rent when you can own?”