Affordable Housing in Detroit, MI

This page collects the specific programs, agencies, phone numbers, and rules that apply in Detroit and Wayne County — not generic Section 8 advice. Detroit is one of the few U.S. cities with a Right to Counsel ordinance for eviction defense — that's a major local advantage worth knowing about. The named resources below are where to start whether you need shelter tonight or are facing an eviction summons.

Emergency Help Tonight in Detroit

If you need a safe place to sleep tonight or are facing an imminent eviction, these are the local resources to contact first:

• CAM (Coordinated Assessment Model) — Detroit's central intake line for emergency shelter. Call 313-305-0311. CAM assesses your situation and assigns you to one of the partner shelters. This is the fastest way to find shelter in Detroit
• Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries — operates the largest network of shelters in Detroit for men, women, and families, including Genesis House, the Oasis, and the Third Street Shelter
• COTS (Coalition on Temporary Shelter) — emergency shelter for families with children, plus rapid rehousing
• Mariners Inn — emergency shelter for men with addiction recovery services
• NSO (Neighborhood Service Organization) — Tumaini Center — 24/7 walk-in shelter and engagement center serving chronically homeless adults
• First Step — Wayne County's largest domestic violence shelter and 24-hour crisis line: (734) 722-6800
• Alternatives For Girls — emergency shelter for girls, young women, and their children
• Detroit Housing Resource HelpLine — call 866-313-2520 or visit homeconnect.detroitmi.gov for referrals to current programs

For a full walkthrough of finding shelter the first night, see our emergency housing tonight guide.

Section 8 in Detroit: DHC Status and How to Apply

Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers in Detroit are administered by the Detroit Housing Commission (DHC). There is also a separate statewide voucher program run by the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA). Current status (May 2026):

• The DHC Housing Choice Voucher waitlist is closed as of May 2026 with no scheduled reopening. DHC opens the list on an as-needed basis; openings are rare and short. Watch dhcmi.org/applicants
• If you're already on the DHC waitlist: you must inform DHC of any changes to your contact information (address, mailing address, phone, email) within 10 days of the change, or you can be removed from the list and lose your assistance
• MSHDA Housing Choice Voucher waitlists — MSHDA operates separately from DHC and runs lists for areas not served by local PHAs, plus statewide programs for veterans, the disabled, and emergency cases. Check michigan.gov/mshda
• Public Housing through DHC — a separate program with its own waitlist for DHC-owned properties
• Project-Based Voucher (PBV) lists at specific Detroit properties may be open even when the general HCV list is closed
• Other special programs: Emergency Housing Vouchers (EHV), HUD-VASH for veterans, Mainstream vouchers for non-elderly people with disabilities — separate referral processes
• Apply to neighboring authorities too: Pontiac Housing Commission, Wayne County Housing Authority (Inkster), Hamtramck, Highland Park, Dearborn, and the MSHDA HCV serve different areas with separate lists

For the national application process, see our step-by-step Section 8 guide and how to find your PHA.

Emergency Rental Assistance in Detroit (Named Programs)

If you're behind on rent or can't pay this month, these are the local programs currently operating in Detroit. Funding shifts month to month — always call to confirm current availability:

• State Emergency Relief (SER) — Michigan's main one-time emergency aid program. Can include eviction prevention funds and utility shutoff prevention. Apply through MI Bridges online or call 855-275-6424
• United Community Housing Coalition (UCHC) — Detroit's largest tenant-side housing organization. Combines rental assistance, eviction defense at 36th District Court, tax foreclosure help, and tenant counseling. 313-963-3310 · uchcdetroit.org
• City of Detroit Rental and Eviction Assistance — Detroit's Housing & Revitalization Department coordinates current rental help programs. detroitmi.gov
• Wayne Metro Community Action Agency — Wayne County's main Community Action Agency. Rental assistance, weatherization, food, financial counseling. Call 313-388-9799 or 211
• Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan — emergency financial assistance, food, immigration legal services. Spanish-language services available
• St. Vincent de Paul Society Detroit — one-time emergency rental and utility help through local parish conferences
• Salvation Army Eastern Michigan Division — eviction prevention assistance and utility help

The CERA program has ended

Michigan's COVID Emergency Rental Assistance (CERA) program closed to new applications long ago through both the MSHDA portal and the Wayne County program. If you applied before the deadline, the existing application may still be in process, but no new applications are being accepted. The current paths are State Emergency Relief, UCHC, City of Detroit programs, and Wayne Metro. Don't waste time on old 2021–2023 CERA portals.

Utility assistance: MEAP and SER

Michigan's energy assistance is administered as the Michigan Energy Assistance Program (MEAP) through nonprofit partners, plus the energy components of State Emergency Relief. Apply through MI Bridges or call 211. Lowering your utility bill frees up cash for rent.

Tenant Rights in Detroit & Michigan

Michigan provides moderate tenant protections, and Detroit has additional local protections that are unique among U.S. cities:

• Detroit Right to Counsel for Housing Court: Detroit is one of the few U.S. cities to guarantee free legal representation in eviction proceedings for tenants below 200% of the federal poverty line. If you receive an eviction summons in Detroit, you can get a free attorney at the 36th District Court. Walk into court on your hearing day for in-person counsel, or call UCHC at 313-963-3310 or LADA at 313-967-5800 to be paired with an attorney in advance
• No statewide source-of-income protection in Michigan, and no Detroit local ordinance currently bans voucher refusal (this has been proposed but not adopted). Finding a landlord who already accepts vouchers is part of the work — DHC and MSHDA maintain participating-landlord lists
• 7-day notice to quit for nonpayment (MCL §554.134 / §600.5714) — longer than in many states, but still short. Use that time to pay or arrange a payment plan
• 30-day notice for month-to-month termination from either side
• Security deposit cap: Michigan limits the security deposit to 1.5 months' rent (MCL §554.602). The landlord must return it (or send itemized deductions) within 30 days of move-out (MCL §554.609)
• Truth in Renting Act (MCL §554.631 et seq.) — prohibits certain unfair lease provisions and requires plain-language disclosures
• Warranty of habitability: MCL §554.139 requires landlords to keep the unit in reasonable repair and comply with health and safety codes. Detroit's Buildings, Safety Engineering & Environmental Department (BSEED) handles inspection complaints
• Retaliatory eviction is illegal under MCL §600.5720 if the landlord acts in response to lawful tenant activity within the prior 90 days
• Michigan Anti-Lockout Act: MCL §600.2918 makes self-help eviction illegal. A landlord who locks you out, shuts off utilities, or removes your belongings can owe you $200 plus actual damages and attorneys' fees
• Fair housing: the Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act prohibits discrimination based on religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity, height, weight, familial status, and marital status — Michigan protects more classes than federal law

For free legal help: United Community Housing Coalition (UCHC) at 313-963-3310, Legal Aid and Defender Association (LADA) at 313-967-5800, and Lakeshore Legal Aid at 888-783-8190. For state-level details, see our Michigan housing resources. If you experience discrimination, see how to file a housing discrimination complaint.

Other Housing Programs in Detroit

• Public housing: DHC owns thousands of units across Detroit. The waitlist is separate from Section 8 — check status at dhcmi.org/applicants
• LIHTC (Tax Credit): privately owned income-restricted apartments. Detroit has substantial LIHTC inventory, much of it from recent redevelopment. Search HUD's LIHTC database for properties in Wayne County. See how to find LIHTC housing
• Detroit Land Bank Authority — sells city-owned vacant homes via auction and side-lot programs. Not income-restricted but can be a path to affordable homeownership
• HUD-VASH (veterans): combines a voucher with VA case management. Detroit-area veterans are referred through the John D. Dingell VA Medical Center. See how to apply for HUD-VASH
• Rapid Rehousing & Permanent Supportive Housing — coordinated through the Detroit CoC. Access via CAM 313-305-0311
• MSHDA programs — homebuyer programs, down-payment assistance, and statewide development funding. michigan.gov/mshda
• HUD-approved housing counseling: find a counselor through the HUD counselor locator — Southwest Counseling Solutions, U-SNAP-BAC, and CHN Housing Partners cover Detroit

Next Steps

Not sure which program is right for you? Our Where to Start tool asks a few quick questions about your situation — emergency vs. long-term, family vs. individual, employed vs. on benefits — and routes you to the right combination of programs. It takes about two minutes.

If you received an eviction summons, get to 36th District Court for your hearing — Detroit's Right to Counsel program means you can ask for a free attorney that day. Even better, call UCHC at 313-963-3310 ahead of time so they can prepare. If you just need a place to sleep tonight, call CAM at 313-305-0311.