KCCI-TV: An Iowa agency wants to use inmates to eventually build at least 100 homes a year for low-income individuals around the state, an unusual idea within the expansive prison labor industry. The Iowa Department of Corrections said the program, which was quietly considered but ultimately rejected during the last legislative session, would give inmates work-training that could reduce their likelihood of returning to prison once they’re released. The agency believes it could help alleviate Iowa’s shortage of skilled workers while addressing its lack of affordable housing.