Michigan to receive $13M in American Rescue Plan funds for emergency housing vouchers

Michigan is set to receive $13.1 million from the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development for emergency housing vouchers, federal officials announced Thursday.

The American Rescue Plan Act funds cover the cost of 1,079 vouchers and related administrative costs for an initial 18-month period, the department said in a statement.

Among the nine state groups receiving the funds were the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, with 779 vouchers totaling $9,387,732, and the Detroit Housing Commission, with 99 totaling $1,267,860, according to the release.

Nationally, HUD is awarding $1.1 billion — 70,000 vouchers — for 626 public housing authorities administering the Housing Choice Voucher Program. 

“Addressing our nation’s homelessness crisis is a top priority for HUD,” said HUD Secretary Marcia L. Fudge. “With COVID-19 still a threat and with the sweltering summer months just around the corner, the $1.1 billion we are announcing today comes at a critical time in our efforts to get people experiencing homelessness off the streets and into safe, stable homes. Thanks to the American Rescue Plan, communities now have the robust resources they need to make significant progress toward ending homelessness.”

HUD said the $1.1 billion in emergency housing vouchers is part of $5 billion that the American Rescue Plan Act enabled the department to allocate in additional vouchers to public housing authorities. 

“The funding and implementation of these emergency housing vouchers takes the Housing First approach that ensures housing as a right, not a privilege,” said Midwest deputy regional administrator James A. Cunningham. “These ARP funds bring Michigan closer to ending homelessness and housing instability.”