Rental Assistance
Rental Assistance Programs
The Montana Department of Commerce strengthens our vibrant communities by supporting access to safe, affordable and sustainable homes for Montanans whose housing needs are not met by the market. The following rental housing assistance services are available.
Search Montana Rentals
MTHousingSearch.com helps people locate housing that best suits their needs by offering comprehensive information about rental properties. The program is free and available online.
Housing Choice Voucher
The Housing Choice Voucher Program is funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and administered by Commerce as the statewide Public Housing Authority.
The voucher program provides rental subsidies for families, seniors and people living with a disability the opportunity to choose their own housing within the community of their choice, subject to program and income requirements.
Participants in the voucher program pay approximately 30% of their adjusted gross income in rent and the subsidy covers the remainder of the rent up to a payment standard.
How to apply and more information on the Housing Choice Voucher Program
Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing
The HUD-VASH Program provides rental assistance in combination with case management and clinical services provided by local VA medical facilities for homeless veterans.
Participants are required to participate in case management services.
Commerce administers two programs for HUD-VASH participants:
- HUD-VASH voucher, where participants select the housing of their choice, subject to program requirements and landlord participation
- Project Based HUD-VASH at Freedom’s Path at Fort Harrison
Project-Based Section 8
Commerce is the contract administrator for select Project-Based Section 8 developments in Montana for HUD. Commerce is responsible for ensuring regulatory compliance and providing program reporting to HUD for each contract.
Throughout Montana, owners of private rental housing enter into a Housing Assistance Payment Contract with HUD to provide rental subsidies that remain with the contracted unit.
Project-Based Section 8 and more information
Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities
The Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities Program provides HUD-funded rental subsidies to rental housing owners where supportive services are available for qualified individuals living with disabilities. Rental assistance is provided to property owners and tenants pay 30% of their adjusted gross income in rent. The subsidy remains with the contracted unit.
A list of Section 811 Supportive Housing and more information
Moderate Rehabilitation
In the Moderate Rehabilitation Program, like Project-Based Section 8, the owner of a property enters into a contract with HUD and receives rental assistance on behalf of an eligible family. Commerce administers 18 MOD Rehab projects in Montana. Interested applicants apply through the Housing Choice Voucher waiting list application page, by indicating their interest in MOD Rehab on their application.
