Impact in Montana

In State Fiscal Year 2023, ESG service providers served over 1,000 individuals in more than 600 different homes across Montana. Due to limited funding Montana’s ESG program has historically focused on Homelessness Prevention and Rapid Re-Housing. ESG funds supported over 500 individuals with Homelessness prevention services providing security and utility deposits, case management, short-term and medium-term rental assistance.  Funds also provided over 550 individuals with Rapid Re-Housing support including security and utility deposits, case management and short-term rental assistance.  Services are provided on a needs basis and not all individuals receive the same services.

Local agencies have been able to use ESG program to assist individuals seek services to support them in finding housing accommodations. Some stories include several individuals that have been homeless for well over 5 years with disabling conditions to work through barriers, utilize housing first, and stay successfully housed for multiple years.  From an elderly man with multiple disabling conditions, living in an old jeep for 15 years before a housing navigator was able to breakdown walls and barriers setup by himself and society.  To a single father raising two boys that struggled to maintain housing on one income when ownership of their rental property changed and rent doubled.  Community supports and connections can bring together needed resources to connect the dots to their needs and services. Each situation is usually someone’s or a household’s worst time of their life, and ESG provides housing opportunities that would not be possible without such a program.