Section 8 in Helena, MT: Rent Limits and Housing Authorities
Helena, MT metro area. FY2026 Fair Market Rents, active voucher counts, the housing authorities that run the program here, and whether landlords can legally refuse a voucher. Every figure comes straight from HUD data.
Fair Market Rent by bedroom count
HUD-published metro FMR for FY2026, in effect from October 1, 2025. Payment standards, the amount a PHA actually pays, are set between 90% and 110% of FMR at each PHA's discretion.
| Bedrooms | FMR | Payment standard (90 to 110%) |
|---|---|---|
| Efficiency (studio) | $1,240 | $1,116 to $1,364 |
| 1-bedroom | $1,595 | $1,436 to $1,755 |
| 2-bedroom | $1,748 | $1,573 to $1,923 |
| 3-bedroom | $2,096 | $1,886 to $2,306 |
| 4-bedroom | $2,856 | $2,570 to $3,142 |
Example: at 100% of FMR, a 2-bedroom voucher in Helena covers up to $1,748 in gross rent, before the tenant's utility allowance. Across the full range a PHA may set: $1,573 to $1,923.
FY2027 rent limits in Helena: what changes on October 1, 2026
HUD's two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for the Helena, MT metro rises from $1,748 in FY2026 to $1,755 in FY2027, a change of +$7 a month (+0.4%). FY2027 figures take effect on October 1, 2026.
| Bedrooms | FY2026 | FY2027 | Change |
|---|---|---|---|
| Efficiency (studio) | $1,240 | $1,222 | -$18 (-1.5%) |
| 1-bedroom | $1,595 | $1,612 | +$17 (+1.1%) |
| 2-bedroom | $1,748 | $1,755 | +$7 (+0.4%) |
| 3-bedroom | $2,096 | $2,258 | +$162 (+7.7%) |
| 4-bedroom | $2,856 | $2,571 | -$285 (-10.0%) |
The FMR is not what the voucher pays. Each housing authority sets its own payment standard, normally between 90% and 110% of the published figure. When a new one pushes the old schedule outside that range, the authority has up to three months after the effective date to publish a new one (24 CFR 982.503). Until it does, the old payment standards still apply, so call the authority before you rely on the new number.
Already renting with a voucher in Helena? Once the housing authority raises its payment standard, the higher amount must be used for your subsidy no later than the earliest of three dates: a rent increase that would raise your share, your next regular or interim reexamination, or one year after the increase took effect (24 CFR 982.505(c)(4)).
Landlords: a higher FMR does not raise a contract rent by itself. You still request the increase from the housing authority, and the new rent has to pass its rent reasonableness review against comparable unassisted units.
Source: HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2026 and FY2027, huduser.gov.
Voucher demand in this metro
Aggregated from HUD Public Housing Authority data (FY2026). High utilization means most vouchers issued here are already placed in a unit, so landlords who accept vouchers fill vacancies from a deep, reliable applicant pool.
Housing authorities serving Helena
2 PHAs administer vouchers in this metro. Apply with (or contact) the PHA that covers the specific address.
- Status unknown
Montana Department of Commerce
Helena , MT · MT901 · 4,469 HCV units
4068412830 - Status unknown
Helena Housing Authority
Helena , MT · MT004 · 401 HCV units
4064427970
Can a landlord refuse Section 8 in Helena, MT?
In most of the state, yes. Montana has no statewide source-of-income protection, so landlords in Helena, MT can decline Section 8 applications unless a local ordinance says otherwise.
No statewide source-of-income protection for housing vouchers. PRRAC Appendix B (March 2026).
Informational only, not legal advice. Laws change, so verify current status before acting on a rejection or making a leasing decision.
Counties in the Helena metro
County pages show the local voucher count, the housing authorities that serve it, and ZIP-level rent limits where HUD publishes them.
Frequently asked questions
- How much does Section 8 pay for a 2-bedroom in Helena?
- In the Helena, MT metro, the FY2026 two-bedroom Fair Market Rent is $1,748 per month. A housing authority usually sets its Section 8 payment standard between 90% and 110% of that, roughly $1,573 to $1,923 in gross rent before the tenant's utility allowance.
- What are the FY2026 Fair Market Rents in Helena?
- HUD's FY2026 Fair Market Rents for the Helena, MT metro, by bedroom size: studio $1,240, 1-bedroom $1,595, 2-bedroom $1,748, 3-bedroom $2,096, 4-bedroom $2,856. Section 8 payment standards are based on these figures.
- Did Section 8 rent limits change in Helena for FY2027?
- The two-bedroom Fair Market Rent for the Helena, MT metro goes from $1,748 in FY2026 to $1,755 in FY2027, an increase of $7 a month. FY2027 Fair Market Rents take effect on October 1, 2026. Housing authorities set their own payment standards from that figure and have up to three months to update them, so confirm the current amount with the authority that covers the address.
- How do I apply for Section 8 in Helena?
- Section 8 in Helena is administered by Montana Department of Commerce, Helena Housing Authority. Apply through the authority whose jurisdiction covers the address, as each runs its own waitlist. Once you have a voucher, search voucher-friendly units and apply on VoucherMatch.
Find Section 8 apartments in Helena
VoucherMatch connects voucher holders with landlords who accept Section 8, and it is free for renters. Landlords: listings here reach applicants whose voucher already covers the rent above.
Rent limits from HUD FY2026 Fair Market Rent data. Investor running the numbers? The RentalCalcs voucher analyzer uses this same dataset.