Complete Guide to Section 8 & Public Housing in Michigan
Michigan has 126 housing authorities managing a combined 385 waiting lists across Section 8 (HCV), Public Housing, and Project-Based Voucher programs. Currently, 164 of those lists are accepting applications — an open rate of approximately 43%. This data was last verified on Oct 5, 2026.
Those agencies administer roughly 85,664 assisted housing units statewide — 18,343 public housing units and 67,321 Housing Choice Vouchers, across 57 counties. Income limits are set by HUD per county or metro area, so eligibility thresholds differ between agencies within Michigan.
The affordable housing programs tracked in Michigan include Section 8 Housing Choice Vouchers (HCV) (17 open), Public Housing (96 open), Project-Based Vouchers (PBV) (14 open), RAD (1 open), Mainstream, VASH. Each program has its own eligibility criteria, application process, and wait times. In most cases, applicants can apply to multiple program types at the same housing authority, and there is no limit to the number of housing authorities you can apply to statewide.
The cities with the most open waitlists in Michigan right now are Big Rapids (11), Traverse City (8), Battle Creek (6), Bay City (4), and Ann Arbor (4) . Applicants who are flexible about location will generally receive assistance sooner than those who apply to a single waitlist in a high-demand area.
Latest opening: Dearborn Housing Commission — Public Housing
Eligibility Requirements for Michigan
To qualify for assistance in Michigan, applicants must meet specific income and household criteria set by the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA).
- Income: Below HUD local limits
- Citizenship: U.S. Citizen or eligible legal status
- Background: Criminal background check required
- Residency: Preferences often given to locals
Real-Time Data Verification
Section 8 Waitlist aggregates data from official Michigan legal notices, government press releases, and PHA portal updates. Every listing is cross-referenced with Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) to ensure that families receive accurate information for low-income programs.