Rent Assistance in Montana

Last checked: November 2026. Benefits Explorer is a directory. We do not provide rent money or decide who gets help, and each program makes its own decisions.

Montana's pandemic rent program, MERA, began closing to new applicants in January 2023. We found no state program that replaced it for people who are simply behind on rent. The Department of Commerce still runs Housing Choice Vouchers, whose waitlists were open when we checked, but a waitlist will not stop an eviction this month.

For urgent help, the realistic route is your regional Human Resource Development Council or similar nonprofit. These groups also act as Commerce's field agencies for vouchers. Few publish details of emergency rent funds online, so a phone call is usually the only way to learn what is available.

Where to Start in Montana

Housing Choice Voucher Program (Montana Department of Commerce)

Long-term rental assistance. Commerce says its voucher and Moderate Rehabilitation waitlists are open. Find your region on its map and apply through that region's link. Moderate Rehabilitation applies only to specific properties in Billings, Great Falls and Missoula. Keep your information current while waiting by filing a change form.

Visit website · Phone: 406-841-2700 · Waitlist when last checked

Human Resource Development Councils and field agencies

Montana LawHelp says 10 councils across the state help with programs including housing and homelessness and energy assistance. Commerce publishes the field agency for each county, including Action for Eastern Montana in Glendive at 406-377-3564 and Lewistown HRDC 6 at 406-535-7488.

Visit website · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Local Rent Help in Montana

Billings HRDC 7 (Big Horn, Carbon, Stillwater, Sweet Grass and Yellowstone counties)

Lists Emergency Services and a housing section on its site. Call weekdays, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m., to ask about rent or homelessness prevention. For vouchers inside Billings city limits, Commerce lists HomeFront at 406-245-6391.

Visit website · Phone: 406-247-4732 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Human Resource Council, District XI (Missoula, Mineral and Ravalli counties)

Lists housing voucher programs, an Emergency Housing Solutions Grant and an affordable housing resource list for each county. Superior office: 406-822-4251. Hamilton office: 406-363-6101.

Visit website · Phone: 406-728-3710 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

HRDC District IX Housing Choice Vouchers (Gallatin, Park and Meagher counties, including Bozeman)

Administers Section 8 with Montana Housing. Households must earn at or below 50% of Area Median Income and typically pay about 30% of adjusted income toward rent. Apply online or pick up a paper application at any HRDC office.

Visit website · Phone: 406-587-4486 · Waitlist when last checked

Opportunities, Inc. (Great Falls, plus Cascade, Chouteau, Glacier, Pondera, Teton, Toole, Blaine, Hill and Liberty counties)

Commerce's field agency for this region. Ask what emergency housing help it has alongside vouchers.

Visit website · Phone: 406-761-0310 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Community Action Partnership of Northwest Montana (Flathead, Lake, Lincoln and Sanders counties, including Kalispell)

Commerce's field agency for the northwest corner of the state. Toll-free: 800-344-5979.

Visit website · Phone: 406-752-6565 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Helena Housing Authority (Broadwater, Jefferson and Lewis and Clark counties)

Commerce's field agency for the Helena area. In Butte and southwest Montana, the field agency is Action, Inc. at 406-533-6855.

Visit website · Phone: 406-442-7981 · Call or check the website to confirm it is open

Facing Eviction in Montana?

Montana LawHelp lists a 3-day notice to pay in full for unpaid rent, 14 days for most other violations, and a 30-day notice for federally covered rentals such as Section 8. Since May 22, 2023, renters have only 5 business days after being served to file an Answer with the Clerk of Court, with a $30 filing fee unless a fee waiver is requested within that same period. A hearing is usually set within 10 business days after the Answer, and the judge decides within 5 business days after that. Read the official guidance

Free or low-cost legal help: Montana Legal Services Association. Free civil legal services for low-income Montanans. Apply through its website or call. Montana LawHelp publishes a detailed eviction guide, and volunteer attorneys answer email questions at askkarla.org. Visit website · Phone: 800-666-6899

This page is general information, not legal advice. Don't ignore a notice or court papers, because eviction deadlines can be short.

Montana Programs That Have Closed

You may still see these programs online. Check before you spend time on an application.

  • Montana Emergency Rental Assistance (MERA): In a release dated January 13, 2023, the Department of Commerce said new applications would close at 11:59 p.m. on January 20, 2023, citing diminished federal funding.

More Help in Montana

Want other options? See our full rent assistance guide, including how to spot a scam, or see your options. That form is not an application for rent assistance. If you submit it, Benefits Explorer and its partners may contact you.

Montana Rent Assistance Questions

Is MERA still open?

No. The state said in January 2023 that it would stop taking new applications, and Commerce's rental assistance pages no longer list it among current programs. Contact your regional council instead.

How long does a Montana housing voucher take?

Commerce does not publish a wait time. Waitlists are open, and Montana Housing contacts you by mail when you reach the top, so a voucher is unlikely to solve an emergency. You can check your place at waitlistcheck.com.

Who helps with rent in Missoula or Billings?

In Missoula, call the Human Resource Council at 406-728-3710. In Billings and surrounding counties, call HRDC 7 at 406-247-4732. We could not verify the amounts or current funding of any emergency rent help at either agency.

What is the deadline to respond to a Montana eviction?

Five business days after you are served, not counting Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. File your Answer with the Clerk of Court and mail a copy to your landlord or their attorney.

Rent Assistance in Nearby States

Most programs only help people who live in their state. If you are moving or live near a state line, you can also check:

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