Housing Assistance for Single Mothers in Michigan, by Crisis

Michigan pays for a housing crisis in pieces. State Emergency Relief covers part of a rent judgment, a deposit or a move. MSHDA and city housing commissions hand out vouchers when a list opens. A county Housing Assessment and Resource Agency routes families to shelter and rehousing help. Treasury returns part of your rent at tax time.

This guide to housing assistance for single mothers in Michigan follows a single mom renting in Detroit with two kids, ages 4 and 9, through each of those doors. Every rule and dollar figure below was read on October 22, 2026 from the MDHHS manual, MSHDA, HUD, the Michigan Legislature or the agency named beside it.

Start with the paper in your hand

• A 7-day demand for possession: call legal help now; SER cannot pay on this notice alone
• A court summons or judgment: apply for SER through MI Bridges the same day
• Nowhere to sleep tonight: call your county HARA, or CAM at (313) 305-0311 in Detroit
• Fear of an abusive partner: VOICES4 at 855-864-2374, 24 hours a day
• A stable lease but high rent: claim the homestead property tax credit and watch MSHDA's project-based lists

Eviction papers in Michigan: what counts and what does not

Most Michigan evictions for unpaid rent begin with a written demand for possession. Under MCL 600.5714, a landlord can go to court once a tenant has not paid within 7 days of being served with that demand.

The state court form for this notice, SCAO form DC 100a, tells tenants they can present their reasons in court if they paid or believe the rent is not owed. It also says a tenant can have a lawyer advise her and should call soon.

Here is the timing problem for a single mom. MDHHS policy says a demand for possession or a notice to quit is not acceptable proof for State Emergency Relief. SER needs a court summons, notice to appear, consent order, eviction order or judgment, and caseworkers check the case in MiCOURT, per SER manual item ERM 303.

So the 7-day window is the time to gather pay stubs, your lease and six months of rent receipts, and to reach legal help. Once the summons arrives, file the SER application right away with the court papers attached. The papers have to show the exact amount needed to stop the eviction.

What SER puts toward rent, a deposit or a move

SER relocation money can cover rent arrears to stop an eviction, a security deposit, first month's rent and moving costs, in any combination you choose. Court costs written into a judgment count too. Mobile home lot rent for renters falls under the same item.

The money is small. For the fiscal year that began October 1, 2026, the most SER pays for relocation services is $620 for a household of three and $740 for four. That is a yearly total, not a monthly amount. MDHHS describes SER as help for households that usually get by, not for ongoing shortfalls (MDHHS, State Emergency Relief).

SER test	Mom with two kids (household of 3)	Manual item
Yearly cap on rent, deposit and moving help	$620	ERM 303
Monthly income allowed before a copayment	$625 net	ERM 208
Housing costs the household must be able to carry	No more than 75% of net income, higher if utilities are in the rent	ERM 207
Cash savings that usually mean a denial	Over $15,000	ERM 208
Proof of the crisis	Summons, order or judgment (not a 7-day demand)	ERM 303
Processing standard	10 business days from a signed application	ERM 103

The copayment that catches working moms

Under ERM 208, any net income above $625 a month for three becomes a copayment you pay first. Say the Detroit mom nets $2,100 a month and owes $2,000 on a judgment. Her copayment is $1,475, so SER could put in the remaining $525, and only after she shows proof that her share is paid within the 30-day window.

A family with little or no income has no copayment at all. Other people or charities can pay the copayment for you, and a local office manager can lower or waive it in narrow cases, such as income spent on an emergency that threatened safety or on keeping a job.

Three more rules that sink applications

First, rent has to be affordable going forward. ERM 207 caps total housing costs at 75% of net countable income, plus 15% when heat is included in the rent and 5% each for electricity or water. A mom with $2,100 net can carry up to $1,575 if she pays her own utilities.

Second, MDHHS checks whether you paid your housing costs for the past six months. Unpaid months without good cause create a shortfall you must cover. Third, a mom with a child under six who wants help moving needs the new landlord to sign form MDHHS-6306 showing the home is lead safe. Apply online through MI Bridges, which counts as a complete SER application in any county, and ERM 103 sets 10 business days as the processing standard.

Homeowners use a separate item. ERM 304 allows up to $2,000 over a lifetime for mortgage, land contract or property tax payments to stop a foreclosure, plus $1,500 for non-energy repairs and $4,000 for a furnace. Heat and electric shutoffs, along with MEAP and the Home Heating Credit, are covered in the Michigan grants guide for single moms.

A free eviction lawyer in Detroit

Detroit has a tenant right to counsel. A city ordinance gives renters facing eviction in 36th District Court a free lawyer if the household is at or below 200% of the federal poverty level and lives in Detroit. The first hearing is usually by Zoom, where RTC attorneys screen tenants, according to the city's 2025 Right to Counsel report.

The program fully represented 8,655 Detroit tenants and families in 2025. A May 2026 update from the National Coalition for a Civil Right to Counsel says 53% of represented tenants stayed in their homes. Funding is the open question: the federal ARPA money ran out in mid-2026, and the city report projected that state grants could carry the current scope through about February 2027.

If the summons comes from a court outside Detroit, ask the court clerk about legal aid or a self-help center on the day you are served. The legal aid guide for single mothers lists the free services and how they screen for income.

Section 8 in Michigan: MSHDA voucher lists in October 2026

MSHDA runs the largest statewide voucher program in the country, serving more than 29,000 families in all 83 counties (MSHDA, Housing Choice Voucher Program). On October 22, 2026, its waiting list page said no Housing Choice Voucher lists were open and all homeless lists were closed.

When a county list does open, the pre-application is online only and you get one application. Names go on in the order received, with preference for people who live or work in that county, and you prove residency when your name is drawn. If your address, phone or household changes, MSHDA says to update it in the Applicant Portal, so draw notices reach you.

Project-based lists stay open longer

Project-based vouchers are tied to a building, and MSHDA says those lists may stay open and have no county residency rule. You cannot apply online; the lead agency for each property decides who goes on its list. Recent openings included Lee Plaza I and II in Wayne County (August 5, 2026) and Auburn Place in Oakland County (September 28, 2026).

Detroit Housing Commission and other city lists

City commissions keep separate lists. The Detroit Housing Commission says its voucher list is closed and it is taking applications for project-based properties only, through the Yardi RentCafe portal. It does not give list positions and says the wait can run several months or several years.

DHC public housing works differently: each property has its own waiting list, and you can apply to as many as are open if your household qualifies. Mark only the preferences that apply, such as the VAWA preference for survivors, since DHC verifies each one (DHC public housing applicant FAQ).

What rent looks like with a voucher

Federal rules set your share at the highest of 30% of adjusted monthly income, 10% of gross monthly income or the agency's minimum rent (24 CFR 5.628). If the Detroit mom's adjusted income is $1,800 a month, her share starts around $540.

If she picks a unit renting above the agency's payment standard, she pays the difference, but at move-in her share cannot top 40% of adjusted income, or $720 in this example (24 CFR 982.508).

Who qualifies by income

Detroit Housing Commission says household income generally may not exceed 50% of area median income. HUD's FY2026 limits took effect May 1, 2026 (HUD income limits). For a mom and two kids in the Detroit area, that line is $47,200 a year.

Nowhere to sleep tonight: HARA, CAM and 211

MSHDA funds local agencies for emergency shelter and rental assistance in Michigan's 83 counties, with one front door per area, the Housing Assessment and Resource Agency. A housing resource specialist checks need and eligibility and makes referrals (MSHDA, Looking for help). The HARA contact list, updated June 22, 2026, gives intake hours and phone numbers for each county.

In Detroit, Hamtramck and Highland Park, the front door is the Coordinated Assessment Model, CAM, at (313) 305-0311, weekdays 8 a.m. to 6 p.m. In extreme weather, the same number gives current shelter options.

Family shelter space for a single mother with kids is limited. In Westland, the Samaritas Family Center has 24 family rooms for single mothers and fathers with children, two-parent households and pregnant women, with stays of up to 90 days. Other options are in the guide to shelters for single moms.

Michigan 211 reports that more than 8,000 people are homeless on any given night, that only 1 in 4 eligible households gets rent payment help, and that the average wait for subsidized housing is over 2 years (Michigan 211, housing assistance). Calling 211 is still worth it for local rent, deposit and shelter programs.

Leaving an abusive home without breaking a lease

Michigan lets a tenant end her rent obligation early when she has a reasonable fear of present danger to herself or her child from domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking.

Under MCL 554.601b, she sends written notice by certified mail with proof such as a valid personal protection order, a police report that led to charges, or a statement in the form the law sets out, verified by a domestic violence counselor, a licensed health or mental health professional, or clergy.

Rent stops no later than the first day of the second month that rent is due after notice, and only once she moves out. The landlord can keep prepaid amounts and may not share her forwarding address with the abuser. The section applies to leases signed, renewed or renegotiated after October 5, 2010.

SER also treats a family staying with friends to escape domestic violence as homeless, so a mom in that spot can ask for deposit and first month's rent help. The VOICES4 hotline at 855-864-2374 (call or text) connects survivors with trained advocates and local referrals. For safety steps and money, see the plan for leaving your husband with no money.

When she signs a new lease, Michigan law caps the security deposit at one and a half months' rent (MCL 554.602). On $1,050 rent, the most a landlord can ask is $1,575.

A property tax credit for Michigan renters

Renters can claim Michigan's homestead property tax credit on form MI-1040CR. Treasury treats 23% of the rent you paid as the property tax part of that rent (Michigan Treasury, renters). For the Detroit mom paying $1,050 a month, $12,600 of rent counts as $2,898 in property taxes.

Count only the rent you paid yourself, not a voucher or other government share. Tenants in service-fee housing use 10% of rent instead. For tax year 2025, the credit maxed out at $1,900, total household resources had to be $71,500 or less, and the credit began phasing out above $62,500 (Treasury, 2025 credit limits).

This credit is one of several a single mom can stack at tax time; the guide to tax credits for single mothers covers the federal ones. To fit rent, utilities and savings into one paycheck, start from a written single mom budget.

Buying a home with MSHDA's loan and $10,000 DPA

The MI Home Loan serves first-time buyers statewide, meaning no home owned in the past three years, and repeat buyers in targeted areas. It needs a 640 credit score, and the sales price limit has been $566,355 statewide since June 1, 2026.

Income limits depend on the county. For a household of three or more, MSHDA's 2026 limit table allows $146,720 in Detroit and other targeted Wayne County cities and $120,520 in the rest of Wayne County.

Paired with that loan, the MI 10K DPA lends up to $10,000 at no interest for a down payment, closing costs and prepaid items. There are no monthly payments; it comes due when you sell, refinance, pay off the first mortgage or stop living in the home. A homebuyer education certificate is required.

The national housing assistance guide for single mothers compares federal home loan programs. For housing assistance for single mothers in Michigan, the order still runs rent stability first, then savings, then a purchase.

Questions single moms in Michigan ask about housing

Can SER pay my rent before my landlord files in court?

Generally no. SER pays rent to stop an eviction only with court papers such as a summons, order or judgment. Before that point, ask your county HARA or call 211 about local prevention funds, and talk to the landlord about a written payment plan you can document for the court later.

Is there housing assistance for single mothers in Michigan with no income?

Yes, though some doors close. SER has no copayment with zero income, but its affordability test can deny relocation help if you cannot carry future rent. With a voucher, your share falls to the agency minimum rent. A HARA, or CAM in Detroit, is the place to ask about shelter while you have no income.

Can I be on more than one housing waiting list?

Yes. MSHDA allows one application per open voucher list, but city commissions run their own lists, Detroit public housing takes applications per property, and project-based buildings each keep a list through their lead agency. Track every login and confirmation, and update each portal when you move so notices reach you.

Do I have to live in a county to apply there?

Not always. MSHDA gives preference to people living or working in the county of an open voucher list and checks residency when your name comes up. Project-based voucher lists have no county residency rule, so a mom planning a move can apply where the building is.

Does housing assistance for single mothers in Michigan cover security deposits?

Yes. SER relocation help can pay a deposit and first month's rent, within the $620 yearly cap for three, if the new rent passes the affordability test. A landlord cannot ask for more than one and a half months' rent as a deposit, and Michigan 211 lists local programs that help with first month's rent and deposits.

Sources

• Michigan Legislature. MCL 600.5714, Summary proceedings to recover possession of premises. legislature.mi.gov (retrieved October 22, 2026)
• Michigan State Court Administrative Office. Form DC 100a, Demand for Possession, Nonpayment of Rent. courts.michigan.gov (retrieved October 22, 2026)
• Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. State Emergency Relief Manual, ERM 303 Relocation Services (October 1, 2026). mdhhs-pres-prod.michigan.gov (retrieved October 22, 2026)
• Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. State Emergency Relief (SER) Program. michigan.gov (retrieved October 22, 2026)
• Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. State Emergency Relief Manual, ERM 208 Budget Procedures (October 1, 2026). mdhhs-pres-prod.michigan.gov (retrieved October 22, 2026)
• Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. State Emergency Relief Manual, ERM 207 Housing Affordability. mdhhs-pres-prod.michigan.gov (retrieved October 22, 2026)
• Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. State Emergency Relief Manual, ERM 103 Application Procedures (October 1, 2026). mdhhs-pres-prod.michigan.gov (retrieved October 22, 2026)
• Michigan Department of Health and Human Services. State Emergency Relief Manual, ERM 304 Home Ownership (October 1, 2026). mdhhs-pres-prod.michigan.gov (retrieved October 22, 2026)
• City of Detroit, Office of Eviction Defense. Right to Counsel: 2025 Ordinance Report. detroitmi.gov (retrieved October 22, 2026)
• National Coalition for a Civil Right to Counsel. All about Detroit's tenant right to counsel (May 2026 update). civilrighttocounsel.org (retrieved October 22, 2026)
• Michigan State Housing Development Authority. Housing Choice Voucher Program. michigan.gov (retrieved October 22, 2026)
• Michigan State Housing Development Authority. HCV Waiting List Information. michigan.gov (retrieved October 22, 2026)
• Detroit Housing Commission. Housing Choice Voucher applicant FAQ. dhcmi.org (retrieved October 22, 2026)
• Detroit Housing Commission. Public housing applicant FAQ. dhcmi.org (retrieved October 22, 2026)
• Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. 24 CFR 5.628, Total tenant payment. ecfr.gov (retrieved October 22, 2026)
• Electronic Code of Federal Regulations. 24 CFR 982.508, Maximum family share at initial occupancy. ecfr.gov (retrieved October 22, 2026)
• U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development. FY2026 income limits (Section8-FY26 data, effective May 1, 2026). huduser.gov (retrieved October 22, 2026)
• Michigan State Housing Development Authority. Looking for emergency shelter and housing services. michigan.gov (retrieved October 22, 2026)
• Michigan State Housing Development Authority. Housing Assessment and Resource Agency contact list (updated June 22, 2026). michigan.gov (retrieved October 22, 2026)
• Coordinated Assessment Model (CAM) Detroit. Getting help with homelessness. camdetroit.org (retrieved October 22, 2026)
• Samaritas. Family Center, Westland. samaritas.org (retrieved October 22, 2026)
• Michigan 211. Housing assistance. mi211.org (retrieved October 22, 2026)
• Michigan Legislature. MCL 554.601b, release from rent for survivors of domestic violence, sexual assault or stalking. legislature.mi.gov (retrieved October 22, 2026)
• Michigan Coalition to End Domestic and Sexual Violence. VOICES4 Hotline. mcedsv.org (retrieved October 22, 2026)
• Michigan Legislature. MCL 554.602, Security deposit amount. legislature.mi.gov (retrieved October 22, 2026)
• Michigan Department of Treasury. Homestead property tax credit, renters. michigan.gov (retrieved October 22, 2026)
• Michigan Department of Treasury. 2025 Homestead Property Tax Credit Information. michigan.gov (retrieved October 22, 2026)
• Michigan State Housing Development Authority. MI Home Loan. michigan.gov (retrieved October 22, 2026)
• Michigan State Housing Development Authority. Income and sales price limits, MI Home Loan (June 1, 2026). michigan.gov (retrieved October 22, 2026)
• Michigan State Housing Development Authority. MI 10K DPA Loan. michigan.gov (retrieved October 22, 2026)