Complete Guide to Section 8 & Public Housing in Montana
Montana has 12 housing authorities managing a combined 71 waiting lists across Section 8 (HCV), Public Housing, and Project-Based Voucher programs. Currently, 53 of those lists are accepting applications — an open rate of approximately 75%. This data was last verified on Oct 5, 2026.
Those agencies administer roughly 9,176 assisted housing units statewide — 1,421 public housing units and 7,755 Housing Choice Vouchers, across 11 counties. Income limits are set by HUD per county or metro area, so eligibility thresholds differ between agencies within Montana.
The affordable housing programs tracked in Montana include Public Housing (11 open), Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) (5 open), Project-Based Vouchers (PBV) (6 open), Mainstream (1 open), RAD, VASH. Each program has its own eligibility criteria, application process, and wait times. In most cases, applicants can apply to multiple program types at the same housing authority, and there is no limit to the number of housing authorities you can apply to statewide.
The cities with the most open waitlists in Montana right now are Whitefish (13), Helena (11), Missoula (8), Billings (6), and Glendive (4) . Applicants who are flexible about location will generally receive assistance sooner than those who apply to a single waitlist in a high-demand area.
Latest opening: Richland County Housing Authority — Public Housing
Eligibility Requirements for Montana
To qualify for assistance in Montana, applicants must meet specific income and household criteria set by the Montana Department of Commerce - Housing Division.
- Income: Below HUD local limits
- Citizenship: U.S. Citizen or eligible legal status
- Background: Criminal background check required
- Residency: Preferences often given to locals
Real-Time Data Verification
Section 8 Waitlist aggregates data from official Montana legal notices, government press releases, and PHA portal updates. Every listing is cross-referenced with Montana Department of Commerce - Housing Division to ensure that families receive accurate information for low-income programs.