Housing

Know Your Rights

State and federal laws provide rights to people with disabilities when buying or renting a home to live. These rights include:

• The right to buy a home if they can pay for it.
• The right to rent a safe and affordable home to live in.
• The right to reasonable accommodations for their disability.
• The right to have sufficient notice before an eviction.
• The right to file a complaint if they feel their rights have been violated.

Your Rights – Housing Basics

These resources are to inform people with disabilities about their rights and the landlord’s responsibilities when renting.  Items included are Michigan landlord-tenant law covering leases, subleasing, security deposits, repairs and maintenance, as well as sample letters and forms.

• Disability Rights Michigan: Housing – Your Rights to Buy or Rent
  PDFDOCTXT

• A Practical Guide for Tenants & Landlords (Michigan.gov)
• Housing – Your Self-Help Guide (Michigan Legal Help)
• Resident Rights & Responsibilities as a Resident in HUD (U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development)
• Resources for Homeowners Facing Foreclosure “Where to Look for Help” (StepForwardMichigan.org)
• PREVENTING and ADDRESSING HARASSMENT in Housing: Fact Sheet for Property Owners and Managers   (U.S. Dept. of Housing and Urban Development)

These resources give information on the signs of housing discrimination and the four laws that protect individuals with disabilities from housing discrimination during the rental application process and while they are a tenant.

• Common Signs of Housing Discrimination (Fair Housing Center of West MI)
• What Fair Housing Means for People with Disabilities – (Bazelon Center for Mental Health Law) SEE Pages 1-11
• Your Guide to Fair Housing  (Michigan Department of Civil Rights
  Phone 1.800.482.3604

For additional information, questions and complaints visit the Fair Housing Centers in Michigan.

This information is a service of Disability Rights Michigan (DRM). It provides general information, based on the law at the time we wrote it, and is not legal advice. You do not have an attorney-client relationship with DRM. If you need legal advice, you should contact an attorney. If you would like more information about this topic or would like to receive this information in an alternative format call DRM at 800.288.5923.