Every five years, state officials put together a “comprehensive plan” laying out Montana's housing market conditions and assistance needs. Those plans guide how the state spends money from the Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The state expects to receive $65 million through 2029. That’s roughly the same funding it received over the previous five years. It says affordability is the number one problem, with one in three Montana households spending more than 30% of their monthly income on housing.
That problem is especially acute for the lowest income Montanans, according to Megan Brace, a consultant for the Montana Department of Commerce.
"When we’re talking about households making less than 30% of the area median income. We’re talking about almost three quarters of those households experiencing cost burdens."
Sky-high housing costs are also leading to record homelessness throughout the state.
The department plans to spend two thirds of its federal aid through 2029 to combat these issues. It wants to build or rehabilitate 200 affordable housing units and provide rental assistance to 2,000 households.
