Bill > SB0738

This bill establishes the Michigan Fair Chance Access to Housing Act, which aims to prevent discrimination against rental applicants based on their criminal history. The legislation prohibits landlords from requiring applicants to disclose their criminal record during the initial application process and restricts when and how criminal background can be considered. Landlords must first evaluate an applicant based on standard criteria like income, rental history, and credit score, and only issue a conditional offer of housing. After the conditional offer, a landlord may only consider specific serious criminal convictions, such as arson, human trafficking, and sexual offenses committed within the past three years. If a landlord decides to withdraw a conditional offer based on criminal history, they must conduct an individualized assessment, provide written notice to the applicant, and consider factors like the nature of the offense, the applicant's age, time since the offense, and evidence of rehabilitation. The bill requires landlords to give applicants an opportunity to provide mitigating evidence and imposes strict notification requirements if a conditional offer is withdrawn. The Department of Attorney General will oversee enforcement, create informational forms, and investigate complaints, with the goal of providing fair access to housing for individuals with criminal records while maintaining reasonable safety considerations for property owners.

Housing and Urban Affairs

https://legislature.mi.gov/Bills/Bill?ObjectName=2025-SB-0738