Bigfork 
HOME Program
Created under Title II of the National Affordable Housing Act of 1990, the HOME Investment Partnerships Program is the largest federal block grant that is designed exclusively to create affordable housing for low-income households. Montana’s HOME funds are allocated by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development.
The Montana Department of Commerce administers the program and grants these funds to local governments, nonprofit organizations and private developers to develop and preserve affordable housing for or offer homebuyer assistance to income-eligible individuals and families. An individual may not apply directly to the HOME Program.
The HOME Program does the following:
- Expands the supply of affordable housing for Montanans with low- and very low-incomes
- Improves the means of state and local governments to implement strategies to achieve adequate supplies of decent, affordable housing
- Provides both financial and technical assistance to participants to develop model programs for affordable housing
Eligible Projects
Eligible Homebuyer Assistance Activities:
- HOME funds may be used to support homeownership affordability through closing cost and downpayment assistance to acquire non-luxury housing with suitable amenities.
- Homebuyer assistance activities are expressly limited to financial assistance provided to eligible beneficiaries and sufficiently documented costs that directly support homebuyer assistance activities.
- HOME funds may be used to help eligible beneficiaries acquire single-family homes, including condominiums or townhomes.
Eligible Housing Development Activities:
- HOME funds may be used to develop affordable rental and/or homeownership housing through the acquisition, new construction, reconstruction or rehabilitation of non-luxury housing with suitable amenities.
- Activities may include real property acquisition, site improvements, new construction, rehabilitation, reconstruction, conversion and other expenses including financing costs, temporary relocation expenses of any households, businesses or organizations.
- Acquisition of vacant land or demolition must be undertaken only with respect to a particular, predefined housing project intended to provide affordable housing within established time frames.
Eligible Applicants
HOME funds must be provided to the entity that will either administer a homebuyer assistance program or own the affordable housing property.
For homebuyer assistance activities, eligible applicants are typically nonprofit organizations that act as subrecipients that provide the HOME Program assistance to homebuyers. A city, town or county could also apply to fulfill this role as applicant and program administrator.
For housing development activities, eligible applicants are for-profit or nonprofit developers, include community housing development organizations. CHDOs may apply as owner, developer or sponsor.
Annual HOME and HTF Rental Certification
- Calendar Year 2025 Annual Certification for Rental Housing (Word): Due Feb. 27, 2026
- Calendar Year 2025 Rent and Occupancy Report (Excel)
- Annual Certification Quick Guide (PDF)
- Rent Schedule Form (Excel)
Homebuyer Assistance (Period of Affordability) Annual Certification
- Homebuyer Assistance Annual Certification (forthcoming)
- Homebuyer Assistance Program Income/Recaptured Funds Quarterly Reporting Form (Excel) (PDF)
- Homebuyer Assistance Program Income and/or Recaptured Funds Returned to Commerce Form (Word) (PDF)
Community Housing Development Organization Certification
- CHDO Certification (Word)
- CHDO Program Income/Recaptured Funds Quarterly Reporting Form (Excel) (PDF)
- CHDO Program Income and/or Recaptured Funds Returned to Commerce Form (Word) (PDF)
Property Standards
- Housing Quality Standards Inspection Checklist Form HUD-52580-A (long form) Form HUD-52580 (short form)
- Uniform Physical Condition Standards Form (PDF)
