Quick answer
Michigan’s COVID Emergency Rental Assistance program (CERA) stopped taking applications on June 30, 2022, and MSHDA confirms it is closed. The main Michigan rent relief program now is State Emergency Relief (SER) from the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services, which can pay rent, back rent, a security deposit, or moving costs for low-income households facing an emergency, through the MI Bridges online application. For ongoing help, apply for a Housing Choice Voucher. For local charity funds, dial 211. Applying is free.
Key facts
- CERA is closed. MSHDA stopped accepting new applications at 9:00 p.m. on June 30, 2022, and paid out about $983 million to 307,145 applicants during the program.
- The federal Emergency Rental Assistance money behind CERA ended; Treasury’s ERA2 period of performance closed September 30, 2025.
- State Emergency Relief (SER) is the current state program: relocation help with rent, rent arrears, security deposits, and moving costs, plus heat and utility shutoff help, home repairs, and burial costs.
- SER is for one-time emergencies, not ongoing shortfalls; MDHHS says it is “not an appropriate solution to ongoing or chronic financial difficulties.”
- Applying through MI Bridges, 211, MSHDA, or a housing authority is always free.
Table of contents
Is the Michigan rent relief program (CERA) still open?
No. The COVID Emergency Rental Assistance program was Michigan’s pandemic rent relief program, run by the Michigan State Housing Development Authority with federal Treasury money. MSHDA announced that it would stop accepting new online applications at 9:00 p.m. on June 30, 2022, and processed the applications already submitted until the funds were used. A later MSHDA release on a fraud prosecution states plainly that the CERA program is now closed to new applicants; MSHDA reported 307,145 applications and $983.1 million in aid over the life of the program.
The federal source has ended too. The U.S. Treasury’s Emergency Rental Assistance page states that the ERA2 period of performance ended on September 30, 2025, so no state can use that money for new renters.
Watch out: some city and third-party pages still describe CERA as open, and scam sites copy the name. Any “CERA application” that asks for a fee or a gift card is fake. The real current program is State Emergency Relief, below.
What is State Emergency Relief and what does it pay?
State Emergency Relief is Michigan’s standing emergency program for low-income households, run by MDHHS. The department describes it as help for people “facing conditions of extreme hardship or emergencies threatening your health and safety,” meant for households that normally make ends meet but hit an unexpected emergency, according to the MDHHS Emergency Relief page.
| SER service | What it can pay | Notes from MDHHS |
|---|---|---|
| Relocation assistance | Rent, rent arrearage, security deposits, moving expenses | Only when one of MDHHS’s qualifying circumstances applies to your household (for example, an eviction or an unsafe home) |
| Heat and utilities | Temporary help when heating or electric service has been or will be shut off | For eligible low-income families and individuals |
| Home repairs | Repairs to correct unsafe conditions and restore essential services | For homeowners |
| Home ownership services | Payments to keep a home you are at risk of losing | Mortgage and property-related emergencies |
| Burial services | Burial payment assistance when the estate cannot cover it | Separate application |
Income and asset limits apply and MDHHS publishes them with the application. SER is not a monthly subsidy: the department states that emergency support “is not an appropriate solution to ongoing or chronic financial difficulties.” If your rent is unaffordable every month, pair SER with a voucher application and the benefits in the next section.
What other rent help exists in Michigan?
- Housing Choice Vouchers (Section 8). Ongoing rent subsidy through MSHDA’s statewide program or a city housing authority such as Detroit’s. Waiting lists are long, so apply to every list you qualify for; some give priority to people who are homeless or fleeing domestic violence.
- Homelessness prevention through your local HARA. Michigan’s Housing Assessment and Resource Agencies run coordinated entry and distribute HUD Emergency Solutions Grants money for homelessness prevention and rapid re-housing. HUD Exchange lists those as core ESG uses in its program requirements. Dial 211 to find your HARA.
- Charities. Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, St. Vincent de Paul, and community action agencies make one-time rent payments to landlords, usually after an interview with your lease and notice.
- Utility help to free up cash. The federal LIHEAP program (Michigan’s Home Heating Credit and energy assistance) lowers heating costs; LIHEAP never charges a fee. See our utility relief guide.
- Legal aid. Free lawyers for low-income tenants in eviction cases, found through 211 or Michigan Legal Help.
What if I already have an eviction notice?
- Apply for SER immediately and tell MDHHS you have a court date; relocation assistance is designed for exactly this.
- Go to court. Missing the hearing usually means a default judgment. Ask the court about its eviction diversion program; many Michigan courts pair tenants with HARA or legal aid on the spot.
- Get the landlord’s agreement in writing to accept a payment from SER or a charity and dismiss the case. Agencies pay faster when that letter exists.
- Bring documents: lease, notice or court papers, ID, proof of income, and the landlord’s contact details.
How do I apply, step by step?
- Apply for State Emergency Relief online through MI Bridges, the state’s benefits portal, or at your local MDHHS office. Choose “State Emergency Relief” and describe the emergency.
- Dial 211 (free and confidential) for your HARA, charities, and legal aid in your county.
- Apply for a Housing Choice Voucher with MSHDA and your city housing authority.
- Add benefits that free up money: SNAP (estimate with our SNAP calculator), LIHEAP, and for families with children, the Family Independence Program (Michigan’s TANF), all through MI Bridges.
Applying is free. MDHHS, MSHDA, 211, HARAs, and legal aid never charge to apply. No real program asks for a gift card or wire transfer.
For more specifics, see our guides on emergency rent relief by state and Michigan assistance programs.
Related guides
- Programs that help pay rent
- Immediate hotel vouchers for people who are homeless
- Hardship grants for individuals
- Housing help: vouchers, affordable housing, and paths to owning
Frequently asked questions
Is the Michigan rent relief program still accepting applications?
CERA, the pandemic program, closed to new applications on June 30, 2022, and MSHDA confirms it is closed. The current state program for rent emergencies is State Emergency Relief from MDHHS.
What does Michigan State Emergency Relief pay for rent?
Through relocation assistance, SER can pay rent, rent arrearage, a security deposit, or moving expenses when your household meets one of MDHHS’s qualifying circumstances. It is one-time emergency help, not a monthly subsidy.
How do I apply for State Emergency Relief in Michigan?
Apply online through MI Bridges or at your local MDHHS office. Have your lease, the notice or shutoff letter, ID, and proof of income ready.
Who do I call for rent help in Michigan?
Dial 211 for your local Housing Assessment and Resource Agency, charities, and legal aid. Apply to MDHHS for SER at the same time.
Can I get ongoing rent help in Michigan?
Only through Housing Choice Vouchers, which have waiting lists. Apply with MSHDA and any city housing authority that serves your area.
Sources
Facts on this page were checked against these official sources on October 24, 2026. If a source and this page ever disagree, follow the source.
- Michigan Department of Health and Human Services: Emergency Relief – Home, Utilities & Burial (State Emergency Relief)
- MSHDA: COVID Emergency Rental Assistance application period to end June 30, 2022
- MSHDA press release (January 30, 2025): CERA program closed to new applicants; program totals
- U.S. Treasury: Emergency Rental Assistance program status
- HUD Exchange: Emergency Solutions Grants program requirements
- HHS Administration for Children and Families: LIHEAP
- 211.org: find your local 211
This guide is general information, not legal or financial advice, and not an application. Program rules and funding change; confirm with MDHHS or the agency that runs the program. National Relief Program is an independent website, not a government agency.
Before you apply: program rules, amounts, and deadlines change. Always confirm details with the official agency or program administrator. Applying for government benefits is free.
National Relief Program is an independent guide, not a government agency. Spotted an error? Email support@nationalreliefprogram.org.
