Fair Housing: Michigan

This page is intended for informational purposes only and does not constitute, and should not be construed as, legal advice. This page is not intended to provide a mandatory standard of care for the industry. Please consult with local counsel before taking any action based off of the information provided. 

On these pages, you will find information about 1) the protected classes in each state’s fair housing law, 2) protected classes in the cities and counties in the state’s three largest city or metropolitan areas, and 3) protected class information in additional jurisdictions of interest to NAA members. We highlight source of income protections, where applicable, that could substantially impact industry operations. Please see the footnotes. NAA also has resources on the federal fair housing protections that apply nationwide.

We are currently in the process of optimizing NAA’s Fair Housing Protected Class Resources. If you do not see a jurisdiction of interest, please reach out to the NAA Government Affairs Team at [email protected].

Information on this page is current as of September 2022.

Michigan Protected Classes

(Michigan Compiled Laws § 37.2502)

  • Race
  • Color
  • National Origin
  • Religion
  • Sex
  • Familial Status
  • Disability
  • Age
  • Marital Status
  • Sexual Orientation1 

1The MI Supreme Court Ruled that one's Sexual Orientation is afforded the same housing protections as one's sex in Rouch World LLC v. Department Of Civil Rights

This section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

(Livingston County Agendas and Minutes)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal and state protected classes

This section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

(2014 Resolution R14-193 - Human Rights Policy; 2014 Resolution R14-268 - Amended Human Rights Policy)​

In addition to enforcement of federal and state protected classes, this jurisdiction also includes the following protected classes:

  • Height
  • Weight
  • Veteran Status
  • Sexual Orientation
  • Gender
  • Gender Identity

City of Warren Protected Classes

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

Clinton Township Protected Classes

(Clinton Township Municipal Code Part 6 §§624.01 et seq.)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

Shelby Township Protected Classes

(Shelby Township Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

Sterling Heights Protected Classes

(Sterling Heights Municipal Code §§ 25-4; 25-5)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

This section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

(Oakland County Ordinances)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal and state protected classes

Clarkston Protected Classes

(Clarkston Code of Ordinances)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

Rochester Hills Protected Classes

(Rochester Hills Municipal Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes

This section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

(Washtenaw County Ordinances)

  • Ancestry2
  • Political Orientation2
  • Source of Income2
  • Veteran Status2

Ann Arbor Protected Classes

(Ann Arbor Municipal Code Ch. 112 §§ 9:150 to 9:152)

In addition to enforcement of federal and state protected classes, this jurisdiction also includes the following protected classes:

  • Arrest Record
  • Educational Association
  • Ethnicity
  • Gender Expression
  • Gender Identity
  • Genetic Information
  • Height
  • HIV Status
  • Political Beliefs
  • Religious or Cultural Headdress
  • Source of Income3
  • Veteran Status
  • Victim of Domestic Violence or Stalking
  • Weight

2These classes are protected per a local fair housing resource, but have not been found in local law

3Source of Income is defined in Ann Arbor as Any lawful source of money paid directly to an individual or family or indirectly on behalf of an individual or family, including, but not limited to: money derived from a lawful profession, any contract, agreement, loan, or settlement; from any court order, such as court-ordered child support or alimony; from any gift or bequest; or from any annuity or life insurance policy, or money derived from a benefit or subsidy program

This section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

(Wayne County Human Rights Ordinance §55-10)

In addition to enforcement of federal and state protected classes, this jurisdiction also includes the following protected classes:

  • Ethnicity
  • Height
  • Weight
  • Gender Identity
  • Sexual Orientation
  • HIV Status
  • Veteran Status
  • Political Affiliation

City of Detroit Protected Classes

(City of Detroit Municipal Code §§ 23-6-1 and §23-7-4)​

In addition to enforcement of federal ,state, and county protected classes, this jurisdiction also includes the following protected classes:

  • Recipient of Public Assistance
  • Gender Expression
  • AIDS Status

Westland Protected Classes

(Westland Municipal Code §§ 54-1 through 54-3)

In addition to enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes, this jurisdiction also includes the following protected classes:

  • Pregnancy
  • Source of Income4

4Source of Income in Westland means any leagal source from which a person obtains money.

This section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

(Kent County Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal and state protected classes.

City of Grand Rapids Protected Classes

(City of Grand Rapids Municipal Code § 9.361 et seq.)​

In addition to enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes, this jurisdiction also includes the following protected classes:

  • Creed
  • Ancestry
  • Gender
  • Gender Identity
  • Height
  • Weight
  • Source of Income6

6Source of income means all wages, SS, SSI, any Government assistance or subsidies, child support, and alimony.

This section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

(Ottawa County Code)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal and state protected classes.

(Ingham County Ordinances)

In addition to enforcement of federal and state protected classes, this jurisdiction also includes the following protected classes:

  • Educational Association7
  • Gender Expression7
  • Gender Identity7
  • HIV Status7
  • Political Orientation7
  • Pregnancy7
  • Source of Income7

East Lansing Protected Classes

(East Lansing Municipal Code § 22-34)

In addition to enforcement of federal and state protected classes, this jurisdiction also includes the following protected classes:

  • Gender Expression
  • Gender Identity
  • Hairstyles
  • Height
  • Source of Income
  • Student Status
  • Use of Adaptive Devices or Aids
  • Weight

Lansing Protected Classes

(Lansing Municipal Code Pt 2 Title 12 §§ 296.01, et seq.)

In addition to enforcement of federal and state protected classes, this jurisdiction also includes the following protected classes:

  • Ancestry
  • Political Orientation
  • Source of Income8
  • Use of Adaptive Devices or Aids

7The above classes are all protected per the Fair Housing Center of Southeast and Mid-Michigan, but these protections are not codified in county law.

8Source of Income is defined in Lansing as any legal source from which a person obtains money.

This section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

(Marquette County Ordinances)

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal and state protected classes

(Marquette Municipal Code §§ 2-371 - 2-373)

In addition to enforcement of federal, state, and county protected classes, this jurisdiction also includes the following protected classes:

  • Gender Identity
  • Height
  • Weight

This section includes relevant county and city information. Note there could be differences or overlap in the laws’ housing provider obligations.

This jurisdiction emphasizes enforcement of federal and state protected classes

Mount Pleasant Protected Classes

(Mount Pleasant Municipal Code §§39.01; 39.04)

In addition to enforcement of federal and state protected classes, this jurisdiction also includes the following protected classes:

  • Gender Identity