A Section 8 housing list in Montana can help you find a safe and affordable new home. However, some housing lists are more helpful than others. The federal Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) offers its own resources, as do a few housing authorities in the state. You may also find it helpful to use independent resources that contain rental units that work within the Section 8 program.

As you browse through Section 8 listings in MT, it is also important to look for homes that seem safe and sanitary. A legitimate listing usually offers photographs. In addition, it should provide contact information for the agent, owner or landlord. To learn more about safe real estate search practices and housing list websites, continue reading below.

What is an approved Section 8 housing list in Montana?

One of the first places to look for low income apartments for rent in MT is the HUD website. These listings will give you a better sense of the type of housing available in your area.

The HUD website offers two main tools: the resource locator and the apartment search tool. The resource locator is available nationwide and may help you find nearby housing authorities and other forms of housing assistance.

If you want to use apartment for rent apps, you should know that the HUD resource locator is available as a mobile app. You may download it for free to a smart phone. Other mobile apps for the Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) program are available as well, though they are not sponsored by HUD or MT housing authorities.

If you use the interactive map and click on Montana, you will find contact information for housing organizations. You will also see a list of the affordable units available in the state.

However, you may not be able to tell which of these units are vacant. To learn this information, you must contact a specific management company for more information.

The apartment search tool will help you review a list of low income apartments for rent in Montana as well. It can tell you which homes are vacant in the county.

Moreover, it can provide contact information for housing administrators, landlords and other organizations. Keep in mind that the apartment search tool may not be available at this time due to website maintenance.

Some housing authorities in the state offer HUD homes for rent listings of their own. For example, the housing authority of Billings County has its own rental search website, which is also available to residents of eastern MT.

HCV recipients may look for rentals on this site that are already managed by landlords or property managers who accept Section 8. Recipients can also narrow their search to look for listings based on:

• The town and neighborhood
• The number of bedrooms
• A minimum price and a maximum price

If you need more assistance when using an approved Section 8 housing list, be sure to contact your local housing authority. A caseworker may help you get a free sign-language interpreter or a different specialist if necessary.

In addition, you may contact a Housing Counseling Agency (HCA), which will connect you with a housing counselor. For more key insights on approved housing lists and resources, download our informative guide.

Other Ways to Find Section 8 Listings in Montana

When looking for Section 8 approved housing for rent in MT, you may want to expand your search by using a few independent rental sites. For instance, GoSection8 is a third-party vendor that posts low-income apartment rentals in every state. Moreover, this tool helps connect landlords and recipients and offers safety features that make it hard for scammers to create fake listings.

If you are using this site, you may search for homes based on location, number of bedrooms, number of bathrooms, rental price and more. A similar affordable housing website lets you search for homes with the same criteria.

Both of these Section 8 approved housing websites provide information on the HCV program in general, such as the number of open waitlists in the state. You may sign up for emails from these sites so that you know when new housing opportunities arise.

You may also want to try a rental website that is used by the general public and not just HCV recipients. Some of these platforms may be useful because you can compare their standard rental rates to the rates you find on low-income housing sites.

However, you may be unable to find homes for rent that accept Section 8 on these platforms. Most traditional rental websites do not require listers to specify whether they accept vouchers. As a result, you may not find any such homes through these resources.

Quality Standards for Section 8 Approved Housing in Montana

When searching for homes and apartments for rent that accept Section 8 in MT, you must make sure that the home you select meets health and safety criteria. A housing authority worker will visit your chosen home and perform an inspection to make sure it meets certain standards.

For example, the utilities in the unit must be in working condition and not pose health hazards. All HCV units are also required to have:

• Hot and cold running water.
• A refrigerator.
• A stove or cooking range.
• A separate bathroom with a toilet, sink and shower or bathtub.

The home will be inspected for mold, pests and other safety hazards as well. If the inspector finds problems in the apartment, he or she may ask the landlord to resolve these issues. Otherwise, you may have to find a different home.

Tips to Help You Find Low Income Apartments for Rent in Montana

It is important to remember that even Section 8 rental listings can be scams. While some websites closely monitor their listings, others may accidentally allow scams to be posted. Thus, you must remember to:

• Never give out your Social Security Number (SSN) or bank information over the phone.
• Request to see the housing unit in person before making any decisions.
• Contact your county property appraiser or assessor office for information on the property owner, if you are concerned about the owner’s legitimacy.