Michigan has recently unveiled a new initiative called the Newcomer Rental Subsidy, which aims to provide financial assistance to homeowners who offer shelter to migrants outside of state-run facilities.
The program, backed by $4 million from the Michigan Housing and Community Development Fund, will offer $500 per month for up to a year to those who open their homes to eligible individuals.
According to the state’s guidelines, the program is designed to support a wide range of migrants, including refugees, asylees, special immigration visa holders, victims of human trafficking, Cuban and Haitian entrants, Afghan nationals, and Ukrainian humanitarian parolees.
Additionally, individuals who arrived under the Family Reunification Parole Process for El Salvador, Guatemala, Honduras, and Colombia, as well as those with pending asylum applications, may also qualify on a case-by-case basis.
Amy Hovey, the executive director of the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, expressed her belief that the program will help migrants “build a new life here” in Michigan.
The chaotic insanity continues. The state of Michigan is actually asking its residents to volunteer to house migrants in their homes for at least 90 days. What about the risks of housing strangers ? pic.twitter.com/9xxtun3w3A
β Armstrong Williams πΊπΈ (@Arightside) February 21, 2024
She stated, “This program is truly a win-win, as it addresses the most pressing barrier to refugee resettlement by meeting housing needs while setting up families for success with increased employment and opportunity.”
Michigan has become a significant destination for migrants from various countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Syria, Sudan, Burma, and Ukraine.
In 2022 alone, the state added more than 700 migrants from these nations.
The Newcomer Rental Subsidy is not the first of its kind in the United States.
In December, officials and activists in Denver also called upon local residents to house migrants, in an effort to alleviate the financial burden on the City of Denver, which has been struggling to manage the costs associated with accommodating the influx of migrants under the Biden administration’s policies.