Housing Assistance Bureau
The Housing Assistance Bureau (HAB) was established on July 1, 1995 as a part of an effort to consolidate housing programs within the Department of Commerce into one Division. This division consists of HAB and the Board of Housing. The bureau includes the HUD HOME Investment Partnerships Program, the HUD Tenant Based and Project Based Section 8 Housing Programs.
The HOME Investment Partnerships Program
finances housing for low-income populations, including downpayment assistance, construction of homes and apartments, rehabilitation of owner-occupied homes, and rental assistance. The funding source is a block grant from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD). States receive 40 percent of total HOME funding, and localities receive 60 percent directly from HUD, based on a formula determining need.
The Tenant-Based Section 8 Program
is financed by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development and administered by the Montana Housing Division. Allow very low income families to pay a set amount towards rent and utilities, based on their gross adjusted income (currently 30%). Very low income families have incomes of 50 percent or less of the HUD median family income for the county in which the family resides, established by HUD annually. Income Limits can be found in the Section 8 Documents page of this site. The programs provide subsidy payments to property owners on behalf of program participants.
The Project-Based Setion 8 Program
is the contract administrator for properties that HUD manages throughout the state. They provide rental assistance to the projects instead of the tenants. Landlords perform administrative tasks at the local level. The agency performs the property reviews, property management, and makes payments to owners. The agency earns fees from HUD for the tasks performed using tenant data and rent and payment structure. The Project-Based Program renews contracts as they expire. Program specialists do special damage claims, annual rent increases, respond to emergencies, check compliance for fair housing and waiting lists, on-site management reviews, follow-up to physical inspections, review of management decisions, and budget assistance. Find the list of properties on the Housing Division website.
The Moderate Rehabilitation Program
provides project-based rental assistance for low income families. The program was repealed in 1991 and no new projects are authorized for development. Assistance is limited to properties previously rehabilitated pursuant to a housing assistance payments (HAP) contract between an owner and a Public Housing Agency (PHA).
**Housing Division work is mandated primarily in Title 2, Chapter 15; Title 90, Chapter 1, and Chapter 6, MCA; 24 CFR 91, and 92; 24 CFR 5, 792, 813, 887, 982, and 984; and the Governor's Executive Order 27-81
