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Section 8 · Michigan

Section 8 Housing in Michigan

The Detroit Section 8 waiting list is closed. The Detroit Housing Commission takes only project-based property applications online, and MSHDA, which runs vouchers in all 83 counties, has no voucher lists open.

Since April 2, 2025, Michigan landlords who own five or more rental units may not turn away a voucher holder because of the voucher.

By the VoucherMatch Editorial Team · Sources reviewed October 21, 2026 · Updated October 21, 2026 · Independent guide, not a housing agency

Brick two-family houses with wide front porches, lawns and tall evergreen and shade trees along a sidewalk in the Woodbridge neighborhood of Detroit
Two-family houses on Avery Street in Woodbridge, Detroit. The Detroit Housing Commission runs vouchers in the city; MSHDA runs them in every county. Photo: Andrew Jameson, source, CC BY-SA 3.0.
Markets covered
11
Active vouchers
65,762
54,894 occupied
Housing authorities
126
statewide
Voucher protection
Protected
MCL 554.601c (2024 PA 178) and Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, MCL 37.2502 (2024 PA 180)

The Detroit Section 8 waiting list

Closed. The Detroit Housing Commission (DHC) says: “The HCV Waiting list is currently closed, we are only accepting applications for Project Based Properties only.” Project-based units come with their own subsidy and stay with the building, so you apply to the property list instead of receiving a voucher you can take anywhere.

Detroit Housing Commission, as posted (checked October 20, 2026)
WhatDetail
Housing Choice Voucher listClosed
Open nowProject-based property applications, online
How to apply when a list opensOnline through the applicant portal only; not in person, by mail or by email
Customer Service Center2211 Orleans, Detroit, MI 48207
Phone313-877-8000; TDD 800-222-3679; Monday to Friday 8:30 to 4:30

Sources: DHC rental assistance, applicant FAQ, applicant portal. DHC gives no waiting-list position numbers. For its 2026 payment standards it posts HUD’s FY2026 Small Area FMR table by ZIP (for example, $1,250 for a two-bedroom in 48201).

MSHDA: Section 8 in every Michigan county

The Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) calls itself “the largest statewide PHA in the country,” assisting over 29,000 families across all 83 counties. Its waiting-list page says: “No Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) waiting lists currently open,” and “Currently all homeless waiting lists are closed.”

  • When a county list opens: apply online, one application per person; county residents get a preference, with proof of residency when drawn (MSHDA waiting lists). Disability help line: 517-241-8986.
  • Wayne County Housing Agents: Community Management Associates, 882 Oakman Blvd., Detroit (231-796-8883 or 877-796-8883), and RPI Management, 3 Parklane Blvd., Dearborn (313-846-4401) (agent search).
  • Why HUD’s counts put most Michigan vouchers in Lansing: HUD records MSHDA’s statewide vouchers at its Lansing headquarters, so the Lansing and Ingham County totals on this page include vouchers used across the state.

Project-based openings MSHDA listed for 2026

MSHDA project-based voucher waiting lists, 2026 (referral through a local lead agency, not online)
CountyDevelopmentOpened
GeneseeOrchard ManorFeb. 6, 2026
KentKingsbury PlaceMar. 24, 2026
BerrienCorner at Wall StJul. 1, 2026
Washtenaw206 North WashingtonJul. 16, 2026
WayneLee Plaza I and IIAug. 5, 2026
OaklandAuburn PlaceSep. 28, 2026

Source: MSHDA waiting-list information. Ask the development’s lead agency whether referrals are still being taken.

Which agency covers your address

Michigan voucher agencies and their posted status (checked October 20, 2026)
AreaAgencyVoucher list
City of DetroitDetroit Housing Commission (and MSHDA)Closed; project-based applications open
Suburban Wayne, Oakland and Macomb, including Harper WoodsMSHDANo lists open
Grand RapidsGrand Rapids Housing CommissionClosed; serving October 2023 applicants
LansingLansing Housing CommissionNo status posted; its properties say lists closed
Ann ArborAnn Arbor Housing CommissionClosed; two senior project-based lists open
FlintFlint Housing CommissionClosed; opens about every two to four years

Sources: DHC, MSHDA, GRHC, LHC, AAHC, FHC. Harper Woods has no housing commission in HUD’s directory; MSHDA covers it as it covers every county. That is VoucherMatch’s reading, not an MSHDA statement.

What a Michigan voucher pays

MSHDA applies a ZIP-based standard where it has one and its county standard elsewhere. HUD made the Detroit area a mandatory Small Area FMR area in 2023 (Notice PIH 2023-32), which is why ZIP codes there have their own amounts.

MSHDA two-bedroom county standard against HUD’s FY2027 Fair Market Rent

In all five counties MSHDA’s two-bedroom standard sits below HUD’s new FY2027 Fair Market Rent, by $10 in Wayne and $148 in Washtenaw.

  • MSHDA county standard (Dec. 2, 2025)
  • HUD FY2027 metro FMR
  • Wayne: MSHDA standard$1,449
  • Wayne: HUD FY2027 FMR$1,459
  • Kent: MSHDA standard$1,536
  • Kent: HUD FY2027 FMR$1,630
  • Ingham: MSHDA standard$1,268
  • Ingham: HUD FY2027 FMR$1,323
  • Washtenaw: MSHDA standard$1,656
  • Washtenaw: HUD FY2027 FMR$1,804
  • Genesee: MSHDA standard$1,106
  • Genesee: HUD FY2027 FMR$1,133
MSHDA’s county figures are its Section B standards; ZIP standards (Section A) apply first where listed, such as $1,622 in Harper Woods (48225). Sources: MSHDA payment information; HUD Fair Market Rents, FY2027 effective October 1, 2026. MSHDA’s next schedule takes effect December 2, 2026 with the same Wayne and 48225 amounts.
The same figures as a table
CountyAreaMSHDA standardHUD FY2027 FMR
WayneDetroit area$1,449$1,459
KentGrand Rapids area$1,536$1,630
InghamLansing area$1,268$1,323
WashtenawAnn Arbor area$1,656$1,804
GeneseeFlint area$1,106$1,133

Worked example: a $1,450 two-bedroom in Harper Woods (48225)

  1. Gross rent$1,450

    $1,450 rent to owner + $0 utility allowance (landlord pays all utilities in this example)

  2. Compare with the payment standard$1,622

    Gross rent is within the $1,622 MSHDA ZIP standard.

  3. Household’s base payment$750

    30% of adjusted monthly income for a household of three with $30,000 in adjusted income

  4. Housing assistance$700

    lower of standard or gross rent ($1,450) − $750

  5. Household pays the owner$750

    $750 total share − $0 allowance, plus its own utility bills

Move-in affordability check: the household’s total share is $750; the first-lease ceiling is 40% of adjusted monthly income, $1,000. This example passes.

Illustration only: the household, rent and utility setup are hypothetical; MSHDA calculates the real figures, including any utility allowance. Method: 24 CFR 982.508.

Income limits in the Detroit area

HUD income limits, FY2026, Detroit-Warren-Livonia HUD Metro FMR Area (annual)
HouseholdVery low (50%)Low (80%)
1 person$36,700$58,700
2 people$41,950$67,100
3 people$47,200$75,500
4 people$52,400$83,850

Source: HUD income limits, FY2026; median family income $104,800.

Michigan’s voucher protection

Since April 2, 2025, a Michigan landlord may not refuse, set different terms for, advertise against or use an income threshold to exclude a tenant because of a lawful source of income, such as a voucher (MCL 554.601c, 2024 PA 178; MCL 37.2502(3), 2024 PA 180). The law does not cover a landlord who, with related entities, owns fewer than five rental units in the state.

Sixteen Michigan cities also have their own source-of-income ordinances, according to the Poverty & Race Research Action Council’s list: Ann Arbor, Detroit, East Lansing, Ferndale, Grand Rapids, Hazel Park, Holland, Jackson, Kalamazoo, Kentwood, Lansing, Oak Park, Pontiac, Royal Oak, Westland and Wyoming (PRRAC Appendix B, March 2026). VoucherMatch has not checked each city code.

General information, not legal advice.

Next steps

Section 8 in Michigan: common questions

Is the Detroit Section 8 waiting list open?

No. The Detroit Housing Commission says its Housing Choice Voucher list is closed and that it is taking applications only for project-based properties, through its online applicant portal. When the voucher list opens, applications go online only, not in person, by mail or by email.

Is the MSHDA Section 8 waiting list open?

No. MSHDA, the state housing agency that runs vouchers in all 83 Michigan counties, says no Housing Choice Voucher waiting lists are currently open and that all homeless waiting lists are closed. Some project-based developments take referrals through local lead agencies instead.

Who runs Section 8 in the Detroit suburbs and Harper Woods?

MSHDA. The Detroit Housing Commission serves the City of Detroit, while MSHDA covers every county, including suburban Wayne, Oakland and Macomb. In Wayne County MSHDA works through local Housing Agents: Community Management Associates in Detroit and RPI Management in Dearborn.

How do I apply for Section 8 in Michigan?

Apply to MSHDA online when a list for your county opens, one application per person, with proof that you live in the county when you are drawn. Cities such as Detroit, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Ann Arbor and Flint also run their own housing commission lists, and every one of those was closed for vouchers in October 2026.

Can a Michigan landlord refuse Section 8?

Not if they own five or more rental units. Since April 2, 2025, Michigan law bars landlords from refusing tenants, setting different terms or using income thresholds because of a lawful source of income such as a voucher. Landlords with fewer than five units statewide are exempt, though some cities have their own rules.

How much does Section 8 pay for a 2-bedroom in Detroit?

It depends on the agency and ZIP code. MSHDA’s county standard for a Wayne County two-bedroom is $1,449, with higher ZIP standards in places like Harper Woods ($1,622 in 48225). The Detroit Housing Commission posts HUD’s ZIP-level Small Area Fair Market Rents, such as $1,250 for 48201 in FY2026.

Detailed Michigan county guides

Landlord and investor tools for Michigan

RentalCalcs

Free calculators and guides from RentalCalcs, built by the VoucherMatch team, for landlords deciding whether to accept vouchers.

Michigan metro guides

In-depth, source-cited guides: waitlist status, voucher-friendly neighborhoods, and who to call if you are turned away.

Detroit, MI

pop. 4,342,304

5 tracked voucher lists; none confirmed open

Detroit Housing Commission separates its closed tenant-based HCV list from Project-Based Voucher applications. Use its online applicant process, keep portal information current, and handle an existing voucher transfer th

See Detroit waitlists →

All Section 8 markets in Michigan

Sorted by active voucher count. Each metro page has HUD Fair Market Rent by bedroom, the housing authorities that administer vouchers there, and waitlist status.

Section 8 by county in Michigan

County pages show the local voucher count, housing authorities, and metro rollup. Useful when you are looking at a specific address.

Find Section 8 apartments in Michigan

VoucherMatch connects voucher holders with landlords who accept Section 8, and it is free for renters. The administering housing authority must approve the actual unit, rent and household assistance calculation.

Browse voucher-friendly listings in MichiganList your unit free

Other states

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