Eviction, Rent, And Utility Payment Help is Available

Are you behind on rent or facing eviction? We can help.
Federal CDC Eviction Moratorium has been extended through June 30, 2021.
Program launched: Monday, March 15.

Here is How to Get Help:

Call Detroit Eviction Helpline at (866) 313-2520
- Monday - Friday 8AM - 6PM
- Saturday 9AM -Noon
OR
Complete the online application

The COVID19 Emergency Rental Assistance (CERA) program is designed to keep Detroit residents who fell behind on their rent during COVID-19 in their homes. Financial assistance is available for renters with their past due rent and utilities. Free legal representation may also be available for renters with court cases.

Assistance Application

Who is eligible?

Households may be eligible for the CERA program if they meet the following:

1. Household income is below 80% area median income (AMI)

For Example: Detroit household of 1 person earning under $44,000 or household of 4 persons earning under $62,800 would qualify

2. Have experienced an eligible COVID19 hardship since March 13, 2020

Member of household qualified for unemployment
Member of household has had at least a 10% reduction in income
Member of household has incurred significant costs (over $500)

3. Household can demonstrate risk of experiencing homelessness or housing instability evidenced by a past due utility or rent notice

Who can apply?

1. Renters with a court order summons, complaint, or judgment

2. Renters who are behind on rent and/or utilities and have a past due notice

3. Landlords can apply directly (both the landlord/ owner and renter will need to complete the application)

Documents needed for assistance

Please ensure all documentation is submitted to avoid delays in assistance.

Tenant Documents Needed

Completed CERA Tenant application
Copy of past-due rent notice, a notice to quit or a court ordered summons, complaint or judgement
Copy of state ID or passport for the tenant applicant (with proof of residency if address does not match the unit)
Most current copy of lease agreement in tenant's name (if a written lease was completed)
Provide all proof of earned and unearned income for household members that live at the property and that are over the age of 18
- Household income/benefits (unemployment, SSI, etc.) for one month, OR
- Copy of submitted 2020 IRS form 1040 (first two pages) OR
- Food Assistance Program Notice of Case Action form (only applicable for households with 3 or less people)
Copy of ALL utility statements the tenant is responsible for, if applicable
Copy of Internet bill/statement, if applicable

Landlord documents needed:

Completed CERA Landlord Application
Copy of the lease (if a written lease was completed)
Ledger showing tenant's payment history in 2020 and 2021
W-9
Verification of court costs, if applicable

Let us Help You Get Help

Call Detroit Eviction Helpline at:

(866) 313-2520

Monday – Friday from 8AM until 6PM
Saturday 9AM - Noon
Wayne Metro, P.O Box 32873, Detroit, MI 48232

At certain times call volume may be very high. We appreciate your patience and will assist residents as quickly as possible.

Federal CDC Eviction Moratorium has been extended through June 30, 2021. The Order temporarily halts residential evictions of covered persons for nonpayment of rent from September 4, 2020, through June 30, 2021.

Here is how to use it:

Read the guidelines to see if applies to you: CDC FAQ document.
If you are covered, and need to use Federal CDC Eviction Moratorium, sign and give this Declaration Form to your landlord immediately.
Save a copy and proof that you sent it to your landlord.

FAQ

How much rental assistance can I receive?

Up to 50% AMI-up to 12 months of rental assistance

Included within the 12 months, 3 months can be used for future rent assistance
- 50-80% AMI-up to 10 months of rental assistance
- Included within the 10 months, 3 months can be used for future rent assistance
Tenants may apply for an additional 3 months of rental assistance if necessary, for housing stability

Can I get help with my utilities?

Yes, eligible households for CERA can receive utility assistance for tenant supplied electricity, home heating (any type of fuel), water, sewer and trash (if billed along with another utility).

Utility Assistance

Household Size	Maximum Total One Time Utility Payment (Includes Future Payment)	Maximum Future Utility Payment as a Credit
1-2 persons	$1,500	$300
3-4 persons	$2,000	$500
5+ persons	$2,500	$500

Household Size

Maximum Total One Time Utility Payment

(Includes Future Payment)

Maximum Future Utility Payment as a Credit

1-2 persons

$1,500

$300

3-4 persons

$2,000

$500

5+ persons

$2,500

$500

Tenants up to 50% AMI are eligible for an additional $500 if needed to fully pay utility arrears.

Is there any limit on how much per month can I receive?

Yes, the program limit is 150% of the HUD Fair Market Rent based on your home size and county.

I need help paying for home internet, is that cover in the program?

Yes, a flat $300 internet stipend is available for households that have home internet and include a recent internet bill/statement in their application package. The $300 payment will be made to either the Internet service provider or the tenant.

Who is not eligible?

Households that have incomes above 80% of Area Median Income.
Households that cannot show a "COVID-19 hardship" (outlined above) or risk of homelessness or housing instability.
Households that are homeowners, land contract holders or those that live in commercial properties.
Renter households that are not behind on either rent or utility bills.

Where can I find a paper copy of the CERA application?

Printable documents available here:

Documents needed for assistance

Please ensure all documentation is submitted to avoid delays in assistance.

Tenant Documents Needed

Completed CERA Tenant application
Copy of past-due rent notice, a notice to quit or a court ordered summons, complaint or judgement
Copy of state ID or passport for the tenant applicant (with proof of residency if address does not match the unit)
Most current copy of lease agreement in tenant's name (if a written lease was completed)
Provide all proof of earned and unearned income for household members that live at the property and that are over the age of 18
- Household income/benefits (unemployment, SSI, etc.) for one month, OR
- Copy of submitted 2020 IRS form 1040 (first two pages) OR
- Food Assistance Program Notice of Case Action form (only applicable for households with 3 or less people)
Copy of ALL utility statements the tenant is responsible for, if applicable
Copy of Internet bill/statement, if applicable

Landlord documents needed:

Completed CERA Landlord Application
Copy of the lease (if a written lease was completed)
Ledger showing tenant's payment history in 2020 and 2021
W-9
Verification of court costs, if applicable

Steps to Eviction

The first step in an eviction process

The guidance below, ‘Steps to Eviction and Special Eviction Cases’ has been compiled by Detroit’s non-profit legal services partners. The City of Detroit takes no responsibility for its content, however, residents facing eviction may find it useful. If you are facing eviction, need legal or financial help regarding an eviction, please call:
Steps to Eviction and Special Eviction Cases. If you are a tenant, your landlord may not evict you unless the landlord follows the legal process outlined below. If your landlord tries to force you to move and threatens you, call 911. If you are locked out of your home or apartment, you should seek legal help immediately. In the first step in an eviction process, the landlord provides the tenant with a “Demand for Possession”, also sometimes called a “Notice to Quit” or “Eviction Notice”

For nonpayment of rent, the notice provides at least 7 days to pay before court action
For terminating the tenancy, the notice period is generally 1 month.
If the landlord claims the tenant is causing a health hazard or damaging the property, the notice must provide for 7 days to correct the situation before a court case is filed.
These notices are from the landlord and NOT the court.
It is always a good idea to obtain help from an attorney at this notice stage if you disagree with the notice.

The next step in the process is for a Complaint to be filed in the Court which issues a Summons for the landlord and tenant to appear for a hearing.

Cases are usually scheduled for 10 days from the date the Complaint is filed. With new limits on the number of cases that the court can hear every day, this may change.
Usually, the tenant will only get 3 -7 days notice of the court date, which may decrease now with new postal service delays.
The tenant should receive two copies of the complaint and summons: one through the mail and another by personal delivery or taped to the door (if two attempts at personal delivery fail).
At this point, you should obtain an attorney if you do not already have one.

Next, the court will conduct the first hearing on the date listed on the summons

Currently, all cases are being scheduled for virtual hearings at a precise time. You must be on time for your hearing the cases are scheduled 10-20 minutes apart.
These “first hearings” are treated as pre-trials. This means no final decision will be made unless the parties reach a settlement or agreement. If they disagree, the case will be set for trial a week later. It is important to have an attorney at this first hearing.
Your case number (which appears in the upper right-hand corner of the Complaint and the Summons) is important for checking in, contacting the court and your attorney.
If you do not have an attorney for the first hearing, you should try to get one as soon as possible after the hearing, especially if you “settled” but need help meeting your agreement.

At court, you should raise your defenses or respond to the eviction

If the case is for non-payment of rent, your defenses may include:

Payment. If the landlord is asking for rent that includes amounts you already paid, the court can refuse to include those amounts in the judgment. You should have copies of receipts to prove the amounts paid.
Repairs. If repairs that were the landlord’s responsibility were not made, the court could order the landlord to make the repairs and can reduce the rent that is owed. You should have proof of the repair problems and complaints about them made such as photos, letters, text messages or inspection reports. If there are repair problems, you should call the city of Detroit inspectors at (313) 224-2733.
Repair and deduct. The judge can also deduct from the rent claimed by the landlord, the cost of any repairs that you made which were the landlord’s responsibility. Bring your receipts and estimates to show your payments were reasonable. Also, bring any notices (such as letters or text messages) showing that you informed the landlord of the problem, providing an opportunity to correct it before you made the repair.
Constructive eviction. If the landlord turned off the utilities or failed to pay the bill that was the landlord’s responsibility, causing a shut-off, the court can consider this and reduce the rent as well.
Excessive Late fees can be rejected by the court. Typically amounts over $35.00 dollars are worth raising.

Termination of tenancy

If there is a written lease, the terms of the lease determine when the landlord can end it. This usually means that either the term of the lease has ended or that there has been some violation of the lease on the part of the tenant which permits the landlord to terminate the tenancy.
If the written lease term has not ended or there is an oral monthly lease, and the main reason for the eviction is to retaliate against the tenant for exercising lawful rights such as complaining about repairs, the eviction may be illegal. If the complaint was to a government agency (such as the City of Detroit Building inspectors) and made within 90 days of when the landlord takes the first step to evict, the court must presume the eviction is retaliatory.
If the tenant paid rent after getting the notice to terminate the tenancy the court can consider this and may find the notice has been canceled by the landlord’s acceptance of rent.
If the landlord is evicting for discriminatory reasons base on race, ethnicity, gender, age, or disability, the eviction is illegal.

Health Hazard or injury to the premises

In these types of cases, generally, the problem must be serious and continuing after the tenant has received a notice that the landlord intends to evict for these reasons.
The problem must be caused by the tenant, a household member, or a guest of the tenant. It cannot be something that the landlord failed to repair.
The landlord must give the tenant an opportunity to correct the situation. This may mean making a repair to whatever damage the tenant caused and stopping the continuing conduct that caused it. The tenant has 7 days to do this.

Judgments. This is the written decision of the court after the court hears the case. There are three types of judgments:

By Default, which occurs when you do not show up on time for your court hearing. The default provides 10 days for you to do one of the following before you are evicted: move, or in a nonpayment case, pay the amount stated in the judgment, appeal or file a request for the court to set aside the judgment, explaining why you missed your hearing and what defenses you have to the case. You have 10 days to file the request and you may need to pay one month’s rent into court in order to have the court review your request.
By Consent, which occurs when you reach an agreement with your landlord and put it in the judgment which is signed by both of you. If you are not represented by a lawyer, you will have 3 days to set aside consent, if you did not understand what they were signing or the rights they were giving up.
After hearing, which happens when the court hears your case and makes a decision. In these cases, you have 10 days to ask the court to reconsider the decision, usually based on new information, or to appeal.

Order of eviction. This is the last step before the bailiff comes out to remove a tenant from the property. The landlord cannot take this step until the deadline for acting (moving or paying the rent in the judgment) has passed. The landlord must file an application with the court to obtain an order of eviction. On the application, the landlord must state whether any money had been paid since the court issued the judgment. There is no need for the judge to schedule another hearing on these applications unless they are filed more than 56 days after the date of the judgment and the parties have not waived the right to a hearing.

In the 36th District Court, the process is as follows

The Application for an Order of Eviction is received and logged in the court’s computer system and public register of actions.
A copy of the application is mailed to the tenant.
The file is sent to the judge to review the application and sign an order of eviction or schedule a hearing. The time for each judge to take this action varies considerably.
Once signed, the Order of Eviction is sent to the bailiff to implement.
In order for the bailiff to evict, the landlord must have a dumpster delivered to the site for the tenant’s belongings or personal property. Once the dumpster is delivered to the property, the eviction typically occurs shortly thereafter.

Special Eviction Cases

Subsidized Housing – Sometimes referred to as “Section 8” (voucher or site-based) or “public housing.” All of these types of housing involve a continuing lease and various additional federal protections under the lease. The landlord must show that the tenant violated a provision of the lease. This housing, however, has other requirements of tenants that can become a problem.

Generally, the tenant must:

Make sure that only the people listed on the lease reside in the home.
Since the rent is based on household income, accurately report all income for all occupants and promptly report all increases or decreases in income so that the rent may be readjusted. Failure to accurately or timely report income changes can provide a basis for eviction. Income decreases can reduce rents.
Annually recertify. This means reporting all income and providing documentation regarding all persons in the household.
Mortgage Foreclosure – Tenants who are not related to the landlord should get a 90-day notice after the landlord’s redemption expires before an eviction court case is filed. Or, if they have a written lease for a term, they should be allowed to remain in the property until the lease ends. If the mortgage was insured by HUD, they may also have a right to remain in the property as a continuing tenant of HUD until the property is sold.

Eviction, Rent, And Utility Payment Help is Available

Here is How to Get Help:

Who is eligible?

Who can apply?

Documents needed for assistance

Let us Help You Get Help

News & Events

FAQ

Steps to Eviction

Documents

CERA Owner Landlord Application - Arabic

CERA Tenant Application - Arabic

CERA Owner Landlord Application - Spanish

CERA Tenant Application - Spanish

CERA Owner Landlord Application

CERA Tenant Application

Eviction, Rent, And Utility Payment Help is Available

Here is How to Get Help:

Who is eligible?

Who can apply?

Documents needed for assistance

Let us Help You Get Help

News & Events

Related Links

FAQ

Steps to Eviction

Documents

CERA Owner Landlord Application - Arabic

CERA Tenant Application - Arabic

CERA Owner Landlord Application - Spanish

CERA Tenant Application - Spanish

CERA Owner Landlord Application

CERA Tenant Application