Two Montana State Prison employees have settled into their new townhome in Deer Lodge, a sharp upgrade for a couple of correctional officers who had been living in a camper for the last seven months.

The Pintler Meadows project is a new state-funded workforce housing unit that officials hope can mend a longtime recruitment issue that's long plagued the facility anchored in rural western Montana.

Kenneth and Stephanie Erb officially got the keys to their townhome on Aug. 1, elevating from an "unhoused" situation to stable shelter. Montana Department of Corrections Director Brian Gootkin said in a press release earlier this month the funding for the state housing was a crucial investment.

"The looks on these people's faces when they received their keys was priceless," he said.

The Erbs w

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