COVID Relief

Emergency Housing Assistance Program

Offered through the State of Montana, the Emergency Housing Assistance Program provides rent, security deposit, and/or mortgage payment assistance for Montanans whose income has been affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

The application process for this program closed on Tuesday, November 10 and the state is working to process all applications before December 30, 2020.

If you have submitted an application and have questions, please log back into your Submittable account to check and send messages. This is where the state will communicate with you for further information, as well as once a decision has been made. CLICK HERE to view instructions on how to navigate to your account and the messages section.

Financial Education

COVID has derailed the budgets of thousands of families and individuals across the state of Montana. If you find yourself struggling to figure out how to navigate your finances during this time, we invite and encourage you to take the free, online Financial Skill Building class offered by Homeword, a Missoula-based nonprofit. This monthly class teaches you how to become financially empowered through these challenging economic times. You will learn how to create a budget, save for goals or emergencies, manage or rebuild your credit, avoid financial pitfalls and consumer traps, understand taxes and medical insurance and so much more! This class will teach you the money management skills necessary to adapt to economic changes. To learn more or register please go to homeword.org/financial-education.

There are also a variety of housing counseling and education resources available statewide that may be of value to you. You can find a housing counseling agency here and learn about the programs they have available near you.

Program Information

When it was available, the Emergency Housing Assistance Program provided rent, security deposit, mortgage payment assistance, and/or hazard insurance for Montanans who had lost a job or substantial income due to COVID-19. Applicants were eligible for $250 – $2,000 per month. The program paid the difference between 25% of the household’s net monthly income and their eligible housing costs. Income limits range from $75,000-$125,000 annually based on family size.

The program focused on the time you may have experiences the most impact from COVID and extending back to April 1, 2020.

Find answers to common questions on the FAQ page.

Tips for Success

For best results, use Google Chrome or Firefox as your internet browser. Mobile devices, Explorer, and Edge are not recommended
If you need technical help with Submittable, including log in assistance, you can reach them at 855-467-8264 or by sending a message at submittable.com/contact
If unable to scan, use your mobile device to take a photo of the documents you need to send, including a photo of each page of the document
Keep in mind that your gross income is the total of all your income before any taxes or deductions have been taken. Net income is the sum of your money after taxes and deductions have been taken.
Income sources include wages, social security, pensions, public assistance, unemployment, self-employment, etc.

Documents the State of Montana may still need you to upload

Income Verification

You will need to submit at least one (1) preferred or other acceptable income documentation from the list below for each and every income source for you and the other members of your household. Please provide income documentation from the time that your income was most impacted as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, as well as current income documentation. You can go back as far as April 1, 2020 for this program.

Preferred documentation:

Letter or email from employer documenting job loss, layoff or closure of place of employment
Paystub(s) documenting decrease in wage earnings at time of COVID-19 impact
Paystub(s) for other wage-earning household members
Letter from childcare provider documenting closure
Unemployment insurance benefit statement or Montana Works screen shots

Other acceptable income documentation (only if preferred unavailable or not applicable):

Self-certification of absence from work to care for home-board school-aged child(ren)
Self-certification of other pertinent circumstances (i.e. required to quarantine or self-quarantine)

Housing Documentation

You will need to submit all of the following as they apply to your situation.

For Renters:

Current lease agreement (required for renters seeking rent assistance)
Current Lot Rent statement (for homeowners who rent a lot and are seeking Lot Rent assistance)
Landlord/property manager or mortgage servicer name, phone, mailing address, and email address

For Homeowners:

Current mortgage statement or verification of mortgage (VOM) from servicer (required for homeowners seeking mortgage assistance)
Current Lot Rent statement (for residents of manufactured homes seeking Lot Rent assistance)
Current hazard insurance bill (if you pay this cost directly rather than through a mortgage and are seeking Insurance assistance)

Statewide Partnership

Offering assistance with the application process across the state would not have been possible without NeighborWorks Montana being able to partner with other organizations. We are grateful for their dedication to ensuring that Montanans receive the help they need to apply for these funds and remain in their homes! Click their logos below to learn more about them and the services they provide.