WPBN: Gretchen Whitmer, the governor of Michigan, has signed three legislation into law that would safeguard renters and make it simpler for people to find affordable housing.
It is the intention of the new law to put an end to discrimination against tenants on the basis of their particular source of income.
In her capacity as president and chief operating officer of the Shelter of Flint, Shelly Hoffman stated that this bill provides a great deal of opportunities for a great number of people in the state of Michigan.
“We’re excited and relieved that income discrimination protections have been put in place in Michigan,” she stated.
She stated that she is relieved that Whitmer has signed a set of measures that ban landlords in the state of Michigan who have five or more rental units from engaging in housing discrimination based on a tenant’s source of income, such as housing assistance or veterans’ benefits.
Legal action would be taken against landlords who violate this regulation even if they have five or more rental units under their control.
“It creates more avenues for people of low income to find housing that is inhabitable and suitable,” she stated.
The newly enacted legislation prohibits landlords who are affected from denying, terminating, or discouraging tenancy on the basis of the tenant’s source of income.
New 2025 Law: Tennessee Landlords Must Provide Renters with Contact Info for Property Management and Repairs
The tenant is required to give evidence that their source of income is derived from activities and sources that are permitted by law and that it is delivered on an ongoing basis in order to comply with the law.
This new law, according to Hoffman, will have a beneficial effect on tenants across the state when it is implemented.
“It’s not just a matter of social security income, it’s not just a matter of housing choice vouchers. It’s also a matter of things like child support or alimony. Those are also things that folks who are seeking housing can be discriminated against for having as their source of income. So again, it affects all sorts of people, but especially people of low income and people prone to homelessness. And it will lead to greater housing stability for a whole lot of people,” Hoffman stated.
Man Who Vanished from Michigan Music Festival in 2018 Found Dead, Cause of Death Still a Mystery
If you are a landlord who has four rental units or fewer, you are exempt from the requirement that this law applies to you.
The law also permits a tenant to file a lawsuit against a landlord who violates the law. If the landlord is found to be in violation of the law, the tenant may be entitled to a monetary settlement that is equal to up to four and a half times the amount of the monthly rent.
DMV Mistakenly Sends 38,000 Postcards with Wrong Vehicle Registration Totals
REFERENCE
