Bill > HB5355

This bill establishes the Michigan Fair Chance Access to Housing Act, which aims to limit how landlords can use criminal records when evaluating rental applications. The bill prohibits landlords from requiring applicants to disclose criminal history on initial rental applications and bars them from evaluating applications based solely on criminal records. Landlords can only consider specific criminal convictions after making a conditional offer of housing, including arson, human trafficking, and sexual offenses, or other felonies adjudicated within the past three years. If a landlord decides to withdraw a conditional offer based on criminal history, they must conduct an individualized assessment, considering factors like the nature of the offense, the applicant's age at the time, time elapsed since the offense, and evidence of rehabilitation. The landlord must provide written notification of the withdrawal, return any application fees, and give the applicant an opportunity to provide mitigating evidence. The bill also requires landlords to disclose their screening process upfront, mandates that the Department of Attorney General create an informational form about applicant rights, and provides immunity to landlords who follow these guidelines. The law is designed to give individuals with criminal records a fair chance at securing housing while still allowing landlords to make informed decisions about potential tenants.

Government Affairs

https://legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2025-HB-5355