Montana Department of Commerce Launches Fair Market Rent Survey
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HELENA, Mont. – The Montana Department of Commerce announced today that an online survey of Montana renters has been launched to gather information to better understand the actual amount of assistance low-income Montanans need to afford housing.
“We are asking for your help with an important study to better understand how inflation, the limited supply of rental housing, increased demand, high cost of labor, increases in property insurance rates and other factors have driven up the cost of housing and impacted rental housing throughout Montana,” said Cheryl Cohen, Commerce Housing Division Administrator. “We hope we can count on you to complete this survey; by doing so, you can help us better support your community.”
The survey will be used to request an update to fair market rents for the state of Montana from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, based on a more accurate reflection of current local market conditions. Commerce will use survey results to seek more appropriate rental subsidies for lower-income households, particularly persons experiencing a disability and elderly households on fixed incomes. The survey results could potentially adjust the maximum rent amount that can be paid to landlords on behalf of households served in federal rental assistance programs, based on the latest housing market data in Montana.
Montana renters will receive a letter in the mail this week that will have survey instructions and a code to get started. The online survey takes, on average, 10 minutes or less to complete. Responses are voluntary and confidential, and names will not be held on a mailing list and answers will not be linked to a name or mailing address.
Econometrica, Inc. and M. Davis and Company, Inc., will conduct this survey. If you receive a survey letter and have questions, contact mmcgilvray@econometricainc.com or call Commerce at 406-841-2840.
Funding for the survey and study is provided by Montana HB 872 and the Behavioral Health System for Future Generations Commission.
“We are asking for your help with an important study to better understand how inflation, the limited supply of rental housing, increased demand, high cost of labor, increases in property insurance rates and other factors have driven up the cost of housing and impacted rental housing throughout Montana,” said Cheryl Cohen, Commerce Housing Division Administrator. “We hope we can count on you to complete this survey; by doing so, you can help us better support your community.”
The survey will be used to request an update to fair market rents for the state of Montana from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, based on a more accurate reflection of current local market conditions. Commerce will use survey results to seek more appropriate rental subsidies for lower-income households, particularly persons experiencing a disability and elderly households on fixed incomes. The survey results could potentially adjust the maximum rent amount that can be paid to landlords on behalf of households served in federal rental assistance programs, based on the latest housing market data in Montana.
Montana renters will receive a letter in the mail this week that will have survey instructions and a code to get started. The online survey takes, on average, 10 minutes or less to complete. Responses are voluntary and confidential, and names will not be held on a mailing list and answers will not be linked to a name or mailing address.
Econometrica, Inc. and M. Davis and Company, Inc., will conduct this survey. If you receive a survey letter and have questions, contact mmcgilvray@econometricainc.com or call Commerce at 406-841-2840.
Funding for the survey and study is provided by Montana HB 872 and the Behavioral Health System for Future Generations Commission.
Tags: housing and press release
