How to Qualify and Apply for Montana Section 8

Application Instructions for Montana Section 8

Step 1

The Montana Department of Commerce (MDOC) and the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) work in conjunction to provide low-income housing solutions for Montana residents.

under the local leadership of public housing authorities (PHA). Households including individuals who are unable to afford safe and secure housing can apply for:

Housing Choice Voucher program
Public Housing program

Each of these programs requires a household to prove their income and composition, i.e. the background and nationality of each member. To apply for Section 8 services, do so at your local PHA office.

The Housing Choice Voucher program provides you with a subsidy to cover the rent costs exceeding 30 percent of your monthly adjusted income. You are required to find your own home to rent that meets affordable housing requirements for Section 8 services. The landlord at your rental property must be approved to administer the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher program. If you decide to move out of your PHA service area you will forfeit your Missouri Section 8 benefits.

Under the Public Housing program, you are provided with safe and healthy accommodations within a project-based complex building. In Missouri, public housing is also referred to as HUD housing. You may also qualify for senior apartments if your household includes an elderly member. When you receive Section 8 Public Housing program benefits your rent is pre-set. Also, you will not have a choice about the housing complex you’ll be living in. If you were to move from your public housing unit you will give up your Section 8 benefits.

Who can Qualify for Section 8?

To receive low-income housing assistance requires you to submit an application to your local PHA. However, you want to self-qualify your household prior to applying. The qualification process begins with your household income. You must earn less than the low-income limits for Missouri for your household size. If you pass this part of the pre-qualification process, you will still need to meet other factors. These include:

You are a US citizen or naturalized resident, and so is the other members of the household.
As the applicant you must be at least 18.
You must provide access to your finances and income, and all working and able-bodied adults must do the same.
You will be subject to a criminal background check, and individuals with drug or sexual offenses on their record will be disqualified.

If you meet these qualifications then you are eligible to apply for Missouri Section 8 services. Keep in mind you will need to apply specifically for the Public Housing program or the Housing Choice Voucher program. You are permitted to apply to both programs, as well as to as many waitlists in Missouri that you are interested in.

How to Apply

The application process for Missouri Section 8 involves getting on a waitlist. There are waitlists for the Housing Choice Voucher program and the Public Housing program. Generally the waitlist time can be months or years depending on the demand for housing for low-income residents in that area. Read through the pre-application instructions when getting on a waitlist to make sure you understand the process thoroughly. Some PHA waitlists require you to reenroll after so many months or years, or else your name is taken off the list.

The next step is to get to the application process. When your household is selected from a waitlist you will be required to submit detailed information and references to your PHA agent. This information must be valid and comprehensive. If you forget to include documents or are missing contact information from your application, then it could cause you to forgo receiving Missouri Section 8.

After you submit your application for Section 8 services, and you are approved, it is time to move into your rental home. You will need to find affordable housing for Section 8 in Missouri.

Have additional questions or concerns with the Missouri Section 8 application process? Contact your local public housing authority office or the HUD agent at the Kansas City Regional Office.