Montana

NLIHC has estimated a need for no less than $100 billion in emergency rental assistance and broke down the need and cost for each state (download Excel spreadsheet). 

In response to COVID-19 and its economic fallout, many cities and states are creating or expanding rental assistance programs to support individuals and families impacted by the pandemic, and NLIHC is tracking in-depth information on these programs.  

You can use the interactive map and searchable database to find state and local emergency rental assistance programs near you. You can also see the latest news on rental assistance programs through the state-by-state news tracker. Note that this is not a comprehensive list of all rental assistance programs as we continue to update frequently. If you are aware of a program not included in our database, please contact [email protected]. 

COVID-19 Emergency Rental Assistance Programs
 

Across the country, homeless service providers are struggling to respond to the COVID-19 pandemic. In order to follow public health guidelines and help ensure people’s safety, some shelters are being forced to reduce services, restrict admittance, or close entirely. The loss of these critical resources puts people experiencing homelessness at even higher risk of illness. Check NLIHC's cumulative list of shelter closings.

Below is a list of shelters that have had to majorly alter services or completely close:

No information at this time.

According to Montana Public Radio, hundreds of millions of dollars allocated to Montana’s eight reservations through the CARES Act and American Rescue Plan Act will help build affordable housing on the reservations. NLIHC Vice President of Public Policy Sarah Saadian explains that while it is difficult to get firm data on housing needs in tribal areas, the numbers that exist indicate Native Americans have some of the worse housing needs in the U.S.

As much as $175 million of Montana’s federal emergency rental assistance (ERA) allocation remains unused and may be reallocated by the federal government. Governor Greg Gianforte’s administration is requesting flexibility to spend unused ERA funds to address affordable housing issues more broadly. Montana has disbursed $23 million for rent and utility assistance and allocated $14 million for housing stability services. The state is working on a contract with Montana Legal Services Association to expand an eviction prevention and diversion program.

Updated on December 13, 2021

State officials estimate that Montana’s $17 million emergency rental assistance program will help about 8,000 renters remain housed.

Updated on April 17, 2021

The Montana Eviction Intervention Program, a partnership between the Montana Department of Commerce and the Montana Legal Services Association, has provided attorneys to 100 households facing eviction since launching in October. The project is supported by a $70,000 grant through the CARES Act. Program partners want to extend the legal aid program, as many Montana renters remain at risk of eviction.

Montana shelters are bracing for a high demand this winter when the eviction moratorium expires this month. Shelters in Montana have already seen growing demand in shelter needs from years of cost-of-living increases in the state.

Updated on January 15, 2021

The Montana Department of Commerce announced a new partnership with the Montana Legal Services Association to launch the Montana Eviction Intervention Project, which will provide civil legal aid to tenants facing eviction. The project is funded by $70,000 in CARES Act funding. 

Updated on November 4, 2020

The Poverello Center, Montana’s largest homeless shelter, is reporting an increase in people who are experiencing unsheltered homelessness. The center received $4,500 from Missoula County’s COVID-19 relief fund and will use these funds toward a new initiative called the Phones for Housing Project.

Updated on July 13, 2020.

Montana established an emergency rental assistance program that will provide rent, security deposits, mortgage payments, and hazard insurance assistance for residents who have loss a job or substantial income due to the pandemic. The program, which currently has $50 million in total available funding, is funded through the state’s allocation of the federal Coronavirus Relief Fund. 

Missoula will use a motel that the city purchased in late April to provide short-term housing for people experiencing homelessness who need to quarantine or self-isolate. When the crisis is over, the city plans to demolish and redevelop the property into permanent affordable housing.

Montana Governor Steve Bullock issued a stay home order for the state. The order does not exempt individuals experiencing homelessness – directing them to shelters.

Homeless service providers in Bozeman are preparing for an uptick in housing assistance after Congress passed the CARES Act.

Service providers across Montana say the double stigma of homelessness and COVID-19 makes finding safe shelter difficult as businesses are not willing to shoulder the risk. As shelters and public health officials across the state are rushing to adapt to the pandemic. In Billings, the Metrapark Pavilion Center will offer 30-50 spaces for area people awaiting test results or in need of isolation.

Federal, state, and local eviction moratoriums are rapidly expiring and the CARES Act supplemental unemployment benefits will end soon; at that time, millions of low-income renters will be at risk of losing their homes. The NLIHC estimates at least $100 billion in emergency rental assistance is needed to keep low-income renters stably housed during and after the pandemic. This tracker links to news reports of the growing evictions crisis in various cities and states. Check NLIHC's cumulative list of eviction updates.

The Governor previously protected all those suffering from COVID-19 hardship in an eviction moratorium between March 30-May 24. When it was about to expire, she extended the eviction protections only to those in vulnerable populations (elderly, ill) or that were being forced to quarantine in place. Must inform your landlord. If considered vulnerable due to COVID-19 circumstances, the moratorium won't expire until either 30 days after the tenant stops sheltering in place or when the pandemic ends. 

Updated: August 1

In the third week of July, one in five adults in Montana reported they had missed their previous housing payment or had little confidence they would make their next one on time, according to a weekly survey conducted by the Census. In the same survey, 49,180 renters reported they had not paid their previous rental payment.

Updated: July 29

According to a weekly Census survey, 25, 394 Montana renters reported they did not make their June rent payment, with an additional 2,430 indicating they had deferred their June rent payment. 

Updated: July 6