Analysis by Madison Shannahan
Last Updated: February, 23rd 2024
Please note: The Montana Department of Commerce administers 11 regional Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher waiting lists for all 56 counties in the State of Montana. Please view waiting list information for each region below.
The Montana Department of Commerce (MDC) Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher waiting list is currently open for all covered areas. These waiting lists are open indefinitely. To apply, complete the online application. Please note: You can only apply to one region.Important note: Applicants who have been placed on the waiting list must inform the housing authority immediately if your application information changes (such as contact information, income, and household members). In the case that the office sends a notice that does not get returned, or if application information is out of date, your name may be terminated from the waiting list. Contact the housing authority to find out how to update application information.Applicants placed on the waiting list will be notified by mail within two months of the application submission.For more information, visit the MDC website, or call the office at (406) 841-2830.
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The application may be completed online at https://www.waitlistcheck.com/application/form.php.
Montana Department of Commerce has preferences for: Elderly, Disabled, Extremely Low-Income Households. Preferences are not required but Section 8 Voucher applicants that meet these criteria will be moved up the waiting list.
Montana Department of Commerce Section 8 Voucher Waiting List is managed by Montana Department of Commerce.
Montana Department of Commerce provides affordable housing for up to 4,566 low- and moderate-income households through its public housing programs.
This housing agency serves Beaverhead County, Big Horn County, Blaine County, Broadwater County, Carbon County, Cascade County, Chouteau County, Custer County, Daniels County, Dawson County, Deer Lodge County, Fergus County, Flathead County, Gallatin County, Glacier County, Golden Valley County, Granite County, Hill County, Jefferson County, Judith Basin County, Lake County, Lewis and Clark County, Liberty County, Lincoln County, Madison County, Meagher County, Mineral County, Missoula County, Musselshell County, Park County, Petroleum County, Phillips County, Pondera County, Powell County, Ravalli County, Richland County, Roosevelt County, Rosebud County, Sanders County, Sheridan County, Silver Bow County, Stillwater County, Sweet Grass County, Teton County, Toole County, Valley County, Wheatland County, Yellowstone County, Montana.
After applying, it's a good practice to keep a record of any application that you submit. This will help you keep track of your application, and is especially useful if you apply to multiple waiting lists. You can do this easily with a document on your computer or mobile device, and also with a notebook or piece of paper.
Make sure to write down your application or confirmation number with the application details. This number will be important to reference in the future. Once you have this information written, keep it stored in a place that's easy to access when you need it.
With this information safely stored, all you have left to do is wait to find out if you've been selected for the waiting list.
Depending on the area, it may take weeks or even months to know if you've been selected for the waiting list. Your wait for an announcement is usually the longest in areas with large populations and a high demand for housing assistance.
Check if the public notice states when the housing authority plans to announce the results, or how long it may take to review applications. Contact the housing authority if this information isn't available.
Once all applications are reviewed, the housing authority will either contact everyone who has been placed on the waiting list, or message everyone who applied to check their results.
The housing authority will use the contact information you give in the application to reach you (usually by mail, email, or phone). For this reason, it is very important to put valid contact information on your application. Make sure you keep your contact information up to date, and that you respond quickly if any further action is required.
If you don't get contacted by the housing authority, it might mean that you were not chosen for the waiting list. Sometimes, housing authorities do not contact applicants who were not placed on the waiting list. Check with the housing authority for confirmation.
To check your status on the waiting list, you usually have to log into an online portal, call a phone number, or visit the office. Each housing authority has different ways for you to check your status.
Some housing authorities will give your spot on the waiting list, but others might only confirm that you're still on the waiting list. Make sure that you have your application or confirmation number with you when checking your status.
The wait to reach the top of this waiting list will be different for everyone.
This waiting list has at least one preference, so those who qualify will have a shorter wait than those who don't. After sorting preferences, applicants are placed on the waiting list by date and time the application was received by the housing authority. So applying soon after the waiting list opens will give you a shorter wait than those who wait to apply after you.
If you are closer to the top of the waiting list, your wait may be just weeks or months long. But if you're closer to the end of the waiting list, it could take years to reach the top.
To update your waiting list application, you usually have to log into an online portal, call a phone number, or submit a form to the office. Each housing authority has different ways for you to update your application.
Make sure that you have your application or confirmation number with you when updating your application.
You can apply for a waiting list that is open until further notice while it stays open for an unknown period of time. Usually, the housing authority is accepting applications until the waiting list closes, but some of these waiting lists never close.
To apply online, an electronic form must be submitted to the housing authority on the internet. Many online applications require an account to be created to log in, and also a valid email address.
A waiting list sorted by date and time orders applicants who are selected for the waiting list by the date and time the housing authority receives the application. Those who apply earlier will generally be placed higher on the waiting list.
If you are considering applying for a voucher, you may be interested to know who already has a voucher, and what the households tend to look like. Fortunately, we can provide some helpful statistics using HUD's 2023 Picture of Subsidized Households. The following data describes the economic and demographic characteristics of renters who have a Section or project-based voucher issued by Montana Department of Commerce.
At the start of 2024, Montana Department of Commerce was managing 4,393 Section 8 vouchers. Of the total number of vouchers managed, there were 3,163 households with a voucher. This represents 72% of the total voucher allotment for Montana Department of Commerce.
According to HUD, there is a total of 5,656 people living in households with a Section 8 voucher issued by Montana Department of Commerce, with the average number of people per household being 2.
The 3,163 households with a Section 8 voucher at the start of 2024 waited on average 23 months to receive their voucher. Of those voucher-holding households, 443 got their voucher in the last year. This represents 14 percent of voucher holders with vouchers issued by Montana Department of Commerce.
Though Section 8 voucher programs are over-subscribed across the nation with all programs having a waiting list, each month, each housing agency managing vouchers has vouchers that are not issued to renters. This can result from turnover in the program if someone with a voucher buys a home, sees an increase in their income, passes away, or otherwise discontinues the use of their voucher.
The time it takes to transfer voucher funding from one recipient to another can be many months. Managing the Section 8 waiting list, qualifying new voucher holders, and approving new homes or apartments takes time. In addition, in some areas, there is an extreme housing shortage or landlords may refuse to rent to persons using a Section 8 voucher to pay their rent. This results in longer than usual ramp-up times for new voucher holders.
The Montana Department of Commerce Section 8 HCV program that this waiting list covers had 72% of its vouchers utilized by households with 28% unutilized at the start of 2024. This means that 1230 Section 8 vouchers out of a total of 4,393 were in processing at the time HUD reported the data.
Of the 3,163 Section 8 voucher-holding households with the Montana Department of Commerce, 1,098 have at least one child. There are 176 two-parent households in the Montana Department of Commerce voucher program, and 923 single-parent households. There were 966 households with children with a female head of household.
The average annual household income for Montana Department of Commerce Section 8 Voucher holders is $14,799 The average annual income per person is $8,619 The average voucher holder earns 22% of the local Area Median Income.
| Annual Income Range ($) | Number of Households | % of Vouchers |
|---|---|---|
| Less than $5,000 | 127 | 4% |
| $5,000 - $9,999 | 190 | 6% |
| $10,000 - $14,999 | 1,455 | 46% |
| $15,000 - $19,999 | 633 | 20% |
| $20,000+ | 759 | 24% |
Of all voucher holders, 747 (17%) receive the majority of their income from wages and/or business. 44 (1%) voucher-holding households receive the majority of their income from welfare programs like TANF, General Assistance or Public Assistance. 3,207 (73%) voucher-holding households derive the majority of their income from some other source (other than wage or welfare).
The Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program pays 70% of the cost of rent plus utilities for any household receiving the housing assistance.
For the Montana Department of Commerce Section 8 program, the federal government is providing, on average, $630 per month to each household, for an average annual cost of $7,560. The program as a whole is paying landlords $1,992,690 per month, for an annual economic benefit to landlords of $23,912,280
HUD refers to the portion of rent paid by the Section 8 tenant as the Total Tenant Payment, or Family Expenditure.
For the Montana Department of Commerce Section 8 HCV programs, the average family expenditure is $372 per month or $4,464 per year. The combined payment from all tenants in the program is $1,176,636 per month, which is $14,119,632 per year.
The average total rent paid to Section 8 landlords is $1,002 per month which includes payment contributed by both tenant households and the federal government. This is a program-wide rent average across all bedroom size rentals.
The average cost of utilities for renters in this program is $124 per month. It is important to note this is not the actual cost renters will pay for utilities, but an estimate based on the energy cost estimates of the program.
Of the 4,393 households with a Section 8 voucher, 1,265 (40%) live in a studio or one-bedroom unit, 1,265 (40%) rent a 2-bedroom rental home and 633 (20%) have a 3-bedroom or larger rental. 31% of Housing Choice Voucher recipients are overhoused with more bedrooms than people in the household.
21% of Montana Department of Commerce Section 8 HCV program households have a minority head of household who is Black, Native American, Asian or Pacific Islander; or of Hispanic ethnicity.
| Race | Number of Households | % of Households |
|---|---|---|
| Asian/Pacific Islander | 32 | 1% |
| Black Non-Hispanic | 63 | 2% |
| Native American/Alaskan | 443 | 14% |
| White Non-Hispanic | 2,499 | 79% |
| Black Hispanic | 0 | 0% |
| White Hispanic | 95 | 3% |
| Other Hispanic | 32 | 1% |
| Age Range of Head of Household | Number of Households | % of Households |
|---|---|---|
| Under 24 | 63 | 2% |
| 25-50/td> | 1,139 | 36% |
| 51-61 | 727 | 23% |
| 62-84 | 1,202 | 38% |
| 85 or Older | 63 | 2% |
Keep a record of past landlord issues.
Having some marks on your rental history will not disqualify you from federal housing, but be prepared to explain situations like an eviction.Ellie Ruedas says:
"Affordable Housing Online is the best way to keep informed on housing openings."
