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.
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| Closed: Montana Department of Commerce Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Waiting List | Learn More |
The statewide Montana Department of Commerce Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher waiting list is closed as of August 15, 2024. Blaming the waiting list closure on a decision from HUD to decrease Montana's Section 8 funding from approximately $2 million per month to under $1.5 million, on July 2, 2024, Governor Greg Gianforte (R) wrote a terse letter to HUD Acting Secretary Adrianne Todman, requesting the decision be reversed. In the letter, Gianforte says "Absent HUD's reconsideration, Montana will initiate closing the waitlist and halting all new leasing by July 31, 2024.These actions will have significant implications for vulnerable Montanans who have been waiting for a voucher."
Gianforte stated Montana should not be bailing out other states who mismanaged their Section 8 program. He said "The residents of our state should not be forced to bail out other states that have poorly managed their federal HAP funding. To be clear, low-income Montanans patiently waiting for critically needed rental assistance will be at increased risk of homelessness as a direct result of the Biden Administration's decision to bail out fiscally irresponsible states at the expense of properly managed states like Montana."
To be clear, Montana's shortfall is not caused by "poorly managed states". Section 8 HAP funding isn't at the state level at all. The funds are allocated directly to Public Housing Agencies, not through the states. Additionally, the shortfalls presently being experienced in the program nationally are a result of a lack of funding, not mismanagement. Further, HUD did not withdraw Montana's funding. It reduced its monthly allocation and instructed it to fund the difference with the state's HUD-held reserve fund. The Federal fiscal year ends in September meaning that lower level of funding would likely only hold for a few months. As the state's reserve fund is adequate to cover the few months of shortfall, one can only interpret this move by the Governor as a partisan election year stunt.Politics aside, the waiting list will close on August 15, 2024, until further notice. In addition, the Governor's letter indicates they won't just close the waiting list but they will stop issuing new vouchers.
Montana Department of Commerce provides affordable housing for up to 4,566 low- and moderate-income households through its public housing programs.
301 South Park Avenue, Helena, MT
Visit Website — (406) 841-2806Section 8 Application Checklist
DownloadKeep track of everything you need to apply for a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher in this printable checklist created by Affordable Housing Online
Montana Department of Commerce serves 3,162 low-income households. The agency manages 4,393 Housing Choice Vouchers and 0 public housing units.
Extremely low-income (ELI) renters, earning less than 30% of Area Median Income (AMI), make up 78 percent of households served by Montana Department of Commerce. Very low-income renters earn less than 50% AMI, and are 97 percent of Montana Department of Commerce households.
Working adults head 537 households and make up 17 percent of households served by Montana Department of Commerce.
There are 2181 female-headed renter households living in Montana Department of Commerce housing. Households headed by females are 69% of those served by the Montana Department of Commerce.
| Black | 63 |
| Native American | 443 |
| Asian-Pacific Islander | 32 |
| White | 2,498 |
| Hispanic | 158 |
There are 1233 households headed by seniors served by the Montana Department of Commerce. Senior households are 39% of households in Montana Department of Commerce housing.
There are 1169 persons with disabilities living in Montana Department of Commerce housing. Persons with disabilities are the head of 37% of households served by the Montana Department of Commerce.
Montana Department of Commerce’s Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) waiting list was last opened on April 6, 2015 and closed on August 15, 2024.
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