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Newcomer Rental Subsidy

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Newcomer Rental Subsidy

The Newcomer Rental Subsidy program provides Refugees and other Newcomer population-eligible households with rental assistance up to $500 per month for up to 12 months, with eligibility based on immigration status and household income.

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Many refugees and other newcomers face critical housing challenges, and this program will increase access to better and more affordable housing opportunities while supporting a more rapid social integration to refugees and other newcomer populations to Michigan.

Eligibility

A group of people

Eligibility and Immigration Status

A beneficiary must have an eligible immigration status as defined by the Office of Refugee Resettlement which includes:

  • Refugees
  • Asylees
  • Special Immigration Visa (SIV)
  • Victims of Human Trafficking
  • Cuban and Haitian entrants
  • Afghan Nationals, and
  • Ukrainian Humanitarian Parolees.

Other immigration statuses include individuals who arrived under the Cuban, Haitian, Nicaraguan and Venezuelan (CHNV) program; individuals who arrived under the Family Reunification Parole Process for El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Colombia, individuals with a pending asylum application, and other immigrant individuals on a case-by-case scenario.

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Eligibility and Household Income

  • Applicants must be renting individuals or households who are experiencing housing instability; and:
  • Under 185% of the Federal Poverty Limit, or
  • Live in Qualified Census Tract area, or
  • Have an income at or below 60% of Area Median Income (AMI) and receive any of the following federal assistance:
    • Temporary Assistance for Needy Families (TANF), Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), Free and Reduced-Price Lunch (NSLP) and/or School Breakfast (SBP) programs, Medicare Part D Low-income Subsidies, Supplemental Security Income (SSI), Head Start and/or Early Head Start, Special Supplemental Nutrition Program for Women Infants, and Children (WIC), Low-Income Home Energy Assistance Program (LIHEAP), or Pell Grants.

Eligibility Resources

The following resources provide the full scope of program eligibility requirements:

Newcomer Rental Subsidy Program Summary

Application Checklist

Landlord Agreement

Rental Verification Form

 

Frequently Asked Questions

View or search the Frequently Asked Questions

Email Office of Refugee Services

If you have questions about the program or need assistance applying, email the Office of Refugee Services at LEO-RefugeeServices@michigan.gov.

Program Background

Office of Global Michigan, whose mission is to make Michigan welcoming and inclusive, in partnership with Michigan State Housing Development Authority launched the Newcomer Rental Subsidy program. The program is also supported in part, by federal award number SLFRP0127 awarded to the state of Michigan by the U.S. Department of the Treasury and in part by the Office of Global Michigan through allocation of federal Office of Refugee Resettlement awards.