Mich. Comp. Laws § § 125.1446
Discrimination.
Operative Text
Sec. 46. The authority shall require that occupancy of housing projects and residential real property assisted under this act shall be open to all regardless of sex, race, religion, color, national origin, age, marital status, familial status, or disability and that contractors and subcontractors engaged in the construction of housing projects and lending institutions engaged in making residential mortgages, shall take affirmative action to assure an equal opportunity for employment and borrowing. This section does not apply, with respect to the age and familial status provisions only, to the sale, rental, or lease of housing accommodations meeting the requirements of federal, state, or local housing programs for senior citizens, or housing accommodations otherwise intended, advertised, designed, or operated, bona fide, for the purpose of providing housing accommodations for persons 55 years of age or older.
Michigan Compiled Laws § 125.1446 establishes that housing projects and residential properties receiving assistance under the Michigan State Housing Development Authority Act must be made available to all people without regard to sex, race, religion, color, national origin, age, marital status, familial status, or disability. Contractors, subcontractors, and lending institutions involved in these projects are also required to take affirmative steps to ensure equal opportunity in hiring and lending. A specific carve-out exists for age and familial-status requirements only: housing that qualifies as senior housing under federal, state, or local programs, or that is genuinely designed and operated for residents 55 and older, is exempt from those two particular provisions.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers overseeing housing assisted under the Michigan State Housing Development Authority Act should be aware that § 125.1446 requires occupancy to be open to all applicants across the protected classes listed in the statute. Compliant operators generally maintain non-discriminatory screening criteria, document their affirmative-action efforts in construction and lending relationships, and ensure marketing materials reflect open-occupancy policies. Operators of bona fide senior housing communities meeting the 55-or-older threshold under federal, state, or local programs should document that their community legitimately qualifies for the age and familial-status exemption recognized in § 125.1446.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under MCL § 125.1446, tenants and applicants for MSHDA-assisted housing have a right to be considered for occupancy without discrimination based on sex, race, religion, color, national origin, age, marital status, familial status, or disability. If a person believes they have been denied housing or treated differently in violation of this provision, general enforcement paths include filing a complaint with the Michigan Department of Civil Rights or the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, or reaching out to a local tenant-rights organization for guidance. Consulting with a housing attorney or legal aid organization can help clarify which avenue may be appropriate given the circumstances.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
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