Ensuring Safe and Affordable Housing: The Vital Role of On-Site Inspections
The Montana Department of Commerce is committed to improving the lives of Montana citizens by ensuring access to safe, secure and affordable housing. One of the most significant ways Commerce achieves this is through on-site inspections conducted by various teams in Commerce’s Housing MT Division and the administratively attached Montana Board of Housing.
Inspections are required by several programs, including but not limited to Low-Income Housing Tax Credits, the Coal Trust Multifamily Homes Program, Community Development Block Grant - Housing, HOME Investment Partnerships Program and the National Housing Trust Fund. These inspections serve as a cornerstone for maintaining housing quality and ensuring compliance with federal guidelines.
Each of these programs provide low-income families with affordable housing, via investments in the new construction or acquisition/rehabilitation of aging housing stock to increase the supply of affordable, attainable housing in our state. Inspections conducted by program staff ensure properties in the state’s affordable housing portfolio comply with the unique requirements of its respective funding sources, while fostering safe and habitable living conditions for residents.
When program staff visit properties benefiting from Commerce’s programs, they conduct inspections according to four primary levels: grounds, building exterior, common areas and individual units.
- Grounds: Inspectors start with an exterior review, assessing parking lots, signage, and pathways to ensure accessibility and safety.
- Building exterior: Ensure roof, siding, gutters/water drainage systems, windows, and other exterior elements are well-maintained and the building is weathertight.
- Common areas: Inside, inspectors evaluate communal spaces such as hallways, common rooms and leasing offices. Emergency systems, including fire extinguishers, lighting and elevators are checked to ensure they are functional and accessible to tenants. Inspectors also confirm that hallways are free from hazards and meet safety regulations.
- Units: Inspectors review individual units, ensuring every electrical outlet, plumbing fixture and window is in working condition. Mold, mildew, leaks and heating deficiencies are addressed, and adequate food storage and sanitation facilities are verified.
Different programs have different timeline requirements for how often inspections are conducted. For example, Section 42 properties with the LIHTC program are required to be inspected at least once every three years. However, program staff can increase the frequency of inspections based on their discretion.
During COVID-19 quarantines in 2020, inspections were delayed. When they resumed, some properties had gone over three years without a review, revealing critical maintenance needs. The boost in inspections since the pandemic is evidence of program staff’s commitment to addressing the needs of residents in these circumstances.
In 2024, the LIHTC program alone conducted 3,100 unit inspections at 126 properties statewide, nearly double the previous year’s 1,600 inspections. This was primarily due to the three-year renewing of inspections conducted in 2021, directly after the pandemic ended. Commerce’s CDBG-Housing, HOME and HTF staff inspected over 150 units at nearly 60 different properties last year.
The increased workload underscores the importance of routine inspections in addressing deferred maintenance and preventing long-term property degradation. On-site inspections are more than a compliance measure; they are a means to ensure the well-being of Montanans.
Ryan Collver, a supervisor with the LIHTC program, stated, “Inspections bring humanity back into what we do. We get to see the faces of the people we are helping. Not only do we work with managers, but we meet tenants and get to know the people living in these properties. In many cases, tenants are hesitant about government inspections, but as we find ways to connect to them, they warm up and realize we are on their team.”
Commerce’s statewide public housing authority also complete hundreds of housing quality inspections each year for participants receiving federal rental assistance, in partnership with its ten field agency partners. Through Commerce’s contract with the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, our staff additionally perform on-site management and occupancy reviews for HUD’s Project-Based Section 8 properties in the state; the purpose of these reviews are to ensure projects are administered in accordance with federal guidelines. Over 40 management and occupancy reviews were conducted in 2024 and 60 are scheduled in 2025.
Thanks to the dedication of Commerce’s Housing MT teams, and to the incredible work of on-site property management and maintenance teams, the integrity of affordable housing is maintained, and low-income families, seniors and other populations benefit. Inspectors ensure that housing developments serve their intended purpose while upholding safety, comfort and dignity for all residents. The inspections not only identify issues but provide an opportunity for tenants to connect with program administrators, creating a sense of community and partnership.
By addressing tenant needs and verifying the safety of Montanans through its affordable housing programs, Commerce reinforces its commitment to fostering strong, stable communities across the state. To learn more about these programs, visit https://commerce.mt.gov/Housing/.
Tags: Article
