1. MFP Qualified Housing Home owned or leased Apartment with individual lease, secure access, as well as living, sleeping, bathing and cooking areas over which you or your family has control (includes Assisted Livings) Community-based residential setting, such as a group home, with a maximum of four unrelated people (excluding caregivers and personal attendants) (includes group homes) 1

2. Subsidized Housing 101 2

3. Why is Housing a barrier? Affordable and Accessible Housing is hard to obtain. Waiver and MFP participants for the most part have limited incomes. Can’t afford rent and other needs like utilities. It may take up to a few years for somebody to reach the top of a subsidized waiting list. Landlords may not want to modify their rental stock to make units accessible as this process can be very expensive. 3

4. Is Subsidized Housing the Answer? The answer is yes if it is an available choice, because an individual would only have to pay 30% of their adjusted monthly income. Additionally an individual who pays medical expenses out of pocket can have these amounts deducted. Other programs like Low Income Energy Assistance Program(LIEAP) can be used in conjunction with subsidized housing and help individuals with their heating and electric bills. 4

5. What are the types of Subsidized Housing Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher Public Housing Project Based Section 8 Housing Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) 811 Project Based Rental Assistance Program (811 PRA): Section 202 Section 521 Housing Low Income Housing Tax Credit Units (LIHTC) 5

6. Types of Subsidized Rents Income based rent Tenant pays 30% of their income for rent HUD/USDA pays difference between 30% and total rent All PHA Programs: Housing Choice Voucher Program, Public Housing Project-based Section 8, Section 202 and 811 6

7. …. Flat rent Tenant pays a rent that is less than market value Owner does not get any additional rent Rent may be more than 30% of tenant’s income Some HUD/USDA Multifamily Housing, LIHTC 7

8. Housing Choice Vouchers(Section 8) Tenant based Subsidy is tied to the person Subsidy is portable and can move with the person (within program limits) 8

9. Project Based Section 8 Housing Project Based Specific building/unit is subsidized Person must live in the building/unit in order to get assistance with rent Multifamily rental housing 9

10. Public Housing Public Housing Authority (PHA) owned and operated project based rental assistance units. Individuals must earn less then 80 percent of Area Median Income (AMI) 10

11. Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH) This program combines Housing Choice Voucher rental assistance for homeless veterans with case management and clinical services provided by the Department of Veterans Affairs. Department of Veterans Affairs The Montana Department of Commerce's Rental Assistance Bureau provides this rental assistance for eligible veterans across the state, except Billings. Call (406) 841-2840 or visit housing.mt.gov Billings Call (406) 245-6391 11

12. Section 202 Project Based To be eligible at least one individual must be 62 and older Some examples around Montana are Aspen Village (Helena), Van Ee Apartments (Kalispell), Summer Wood Apartments (Bozeman), The Portage Apartments (Great Falls). http://www.accessiblespace.org/www.accessiblespace.org 12

13. Section 521 U.S.D.A Housing Rental Assistance program Project Based Eligibility requirements: Persons with very low and low incomes, the elderly, and persons with disabilities are eligible if they are unable to pay the basic monthly rent within 30 percent of adjusted monthly income. Very low income is defined as below 50 percent of the Area Median Income (AMI); low income is between 50 and 80 percent of AMI; moderate income is established by adding $5,500 to the low- income limit. 13

14. 811 Project Based Rental Assistance Program (811 PRA): Kalispell, Coming Soon to Missoula Project Based To be eligible individuals must be between 18-61 years of age, disabled and receiving or be eligible to receive participating Medicaid waiver services and supports provided by DPHHS. Individuals must have extremely low incomes - at or below 30% AMI. 14

15. Low Income Tax Credit Units (LIHTC) The Low Income Housing Tax Credit Program (LIHTC) offers a funding stream supporting the development of new housing units. Tax credit properties offer units that are affordable for households at 50% and 60% of median family income for the area. This is more affordable than market rate units, but is out of reach for a household living on an average SSI income of $733. 15

16. Reasonable Accommodation A “reasonable accommodation” is a change, exception, or adjustment to a rule, policy, practice, or service that may be necessary for a person with a disability to have an equal opportunity to use and enjoy a dwelling, including public and common use spaces.*  Application Issues  Tenancy Issues  Lease Violation  Individuals seeking Reasonable Accommodations should contact their housing providers. *(As defined by the federal Housing and Urban Development Department (HUD) for purposes of the Fair Housing Act.) 16

17. Reasonable Modification A reasonable modification is a structural change made to existing premises, occupied or to be occupied by a person with a disability, in order to afford such person full enjoyment of the premises. Reasonable modifications can include structural changes to interiors and exteriors of dwellings and to common and public use areas. A request for a reasonable modification may be made at any time during the tenancy.* *(As defined by the federal Housing and Urban Development Department (HUD) for purposes of the Fair Housing Act.) 17

18. What is Reasonable? Accommodation or modifications do not have to be made if they: Result in a fundamental alteration to the program Pose an undue finance and administrative burden Whether something is reasonable or not depends on the specific situation at the time the need for the accommodation or modification has been made. 18

19. Fair Housing Questions and Tenant Rights? Local Public Housing Authorities Landlord Tenant Act in the Montana Code Annotated montanafairhousing.org www.hud.gov 19

20. Housing Search 1. Local Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) http://www.hud.gov/offices/pih/pha/contacts/states/mt.cfm http://www.hud.gov/offices/pih/pha/contacts/states/mt.cfm  2. Human Resource Development Councils (HRDC’s) http://housing.mt.gov/CommunityPartners/HRDC http://housing.mt.gov/CommunityPartners/HRDC 3. Project Based Section 8 Properties http://housing.mt.gov/Renters/People/Place/PBS8Properties http://housing.mt.gov/Renters/People/Place/PBS8Properties 4. State of Montana Housing Choice Voucher Program http://housing.mt.gov/Renters/People/Paying/S8HCV http://housing.mt.gov/Renters/People/Paying/S8HCV 5. Other privately owned subsidized housing http://www.hud.gov/apps/section8/step2.cfm?state=MT%2C Montana http://www.hud.gov/apps/section8/step2.cfm?state=MT%2C Montana 6. Additional Housing Resources: http://www.mthousingsearch.com/index.html http://www.mthousingsearch.com/index.html 20

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22. Housing Tools Moving Process http://dphhs.mt.gov/sltc/mfp Housing Toolkit http://dphhs.mt.gov/sltc/mfp Provider Resources MFP Manual Housing 22

23. Questions? ???? Please contact Brian Barnes for additional information concerning MFP housing related questions. Phone: 1-406-444-0947 Email: BBarnes@mt.govBBarnes@mt.gov 23

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