If you’re homeless or about to lose your housing in Michigan tonight, hotel vouchers are available — and you may qualify right now. Michigan has a statewide network of government agencies, nonprofits, and emergency assistance programs that can place you in a safe motel or hotel room while you work toward stable housing.
This guide covers every Michigan-specific program, how to apply, who qualifies, and what to do if you need help immediately.
Hotel Vouchers for Homeless in Michigan — Quick Answer
Yes, hotel vouchers for homeless individuals are available in Michigan through the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA), the Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS), local Community Action Agencies, the Salvation Army, Catholic Charities, and other nonprofits. The fastest way to access one is to dial 211, which connects you to local emergency housing resources 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Who Provides Hotel Vouchers in Michigan?
Several organizations in Michigan can provide emergency hotel or motel vouchers:
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) — Michigan’s primary social services agency manages emergency assistance programs that can cover short-term motel stays for eligible individuals and families. Contact your local MDHHS office or visit michigan.gov/mdhhs.
Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) — MSHDA manages Michigan’s state housing programs and distributes federal ESG and HOME funds to local nonprofits providing emergency shelter including hotel and motel placements. Visit michigan.gov/mshda.
Michigan 211 — Dialing 211 connects you with a trained operator who can identify the nearest hotel voucher program with available funds in your specific county or city. Michigan’s 211 system is one of the most comprehensive in the Midwest.
Community Action Agencies (CAAs) — Michigan has Community Action Agencies serving counties across the state. These federally funded organizations are among the most reliable providers of emergency hotel and motel vouchers.
Salvation Army Michigan — The Salvation Army operates locations in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Flint, Kalamazoo, and other cities and regularly provides emergency motel vouchers for individuals and families in crisis.
Catholic Charities Michigan — Provides emergency housing assistance regardless of religion or background, with offices in Detroit, Grand Rapids, Lansing, Saginaw, Kalamazoo, and other communities.
American Red Cross Michigan — If your housing crisis results from a flood, tornado, or other disaster, the Red Cross can arrange immediate hotel accommodations at no cost.
Local churches and faith-based organizations — Many Michigan churches — from Detroit neighborhood congregations to rural Upper Peninsula communities — maintain emergency funds specifically for hotel and motel vouchers.
Who Qualifies for Emergency Hotel Vouchers in Michigan?
Eligibility varies by program, but most Michigan hotel voucher programs give priority to:
- Individuals and families who are currently homeless (sleeping outside, in a vehicle, or in an unsafe location)
- People facing imminent eviction within 24–72 hours
- Families with children — prioritized by most Michigan programs
- Elderly individuals (60 and older)
- People with disabilities or serious health conditions
- Domestic violence survivors — most Michigan programs fast-track DV cases
- Veterans experiencing homelessness
- Disaster survivors displaced by flooding, tornadoes, or severe storms
- Individuals exposed to Michigan’s harsh winters — particularly in the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Michigan, where winters are among the most severe in the contiguous U.S.
Michigan’s winters — especially in the Upper Peninsula, where lake-effect snow from Lakes Superior, Michigan, and Huron can produce massive snowfall and dangerous cold — make emergency housing a life-safety issue. Many programs prioritize individuals exposed to freezing temperatures. You do not necessarily need a photo ID to receive assistance in Michigan, though having one speeds up the process.
How to Get a Hotel Voucher in Michigan (Step-by-Step)
Step 1: Call 211
Dial 2-1-1 from any phone — it’s free. Tell the operator: “I need emergency shelter or a hotel voucher tonight in Michigan.” Operators are available 24/7 and can connect you with the nearest program that has funding available in your county.
Step 2: Contact Your Local MDHHS Office
The Michigan Department of Health and Human Services has offices in every county. MDHHS administers emergency assistance programs including State Emergency Relief (SER) and can connect you with temporary housing funds including motel vouchers for qualifying individuals and families.
Contact: michigan.gov/mdhhs | 855-275-6424
Step 3: Apply for State Emergency Relief (SER)
Michigan’s State Emergency Relief (SER) program is a critical and unique resource. SER provides emergency assistance — including payments for emergency shelter and motel stays — for low-income Michigan residents who face a crisis. Apply at your local MDHHS office or online.
Contact: michigan.gov/mdhhs | 855-275-6424 Apply online: mibridges.michigan.gov
Step 4: Contact Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA)
MSHDA funds emergency shelter and housing programs across Michigan and can direct you to ESG-funded hotel voucher providers in your region.
Contact: michigan.gov/mshda | 517-373-8370
Step 5: Reach Out to a Community Action Agency
Michigan’s Community Action Agencies serve counties across the state and often have emergency motel voucher funds available same-day. Key agencies include:
- Southwest Solutions — Detroit / Wayne County
- Community Action Agency of South Central Michigan — Battle Creek / south-central Michigan
- Kalamazoo County Community Mental Health & Substance Abuse Services — Kalamazoo area
- Capital Area Community Services — Lansing / Ingham County
- West Michigan Community Action Agency — Muskegon area
- Community Action Agency of Western Michigan — Grand Rapids area
- Marquette-Alger Community Action — Upper Peninsula
Call 211 for the Community Action Agency serving your specific county.
Step 6: Contact the Salvation Army
The Salvation Army has locations throughout Michigan and can often provide same-day emergency motel vouchers. Call your nearest branch:
- Detroit: 313-965-7760
- Grand Rapids: 616-459-3433
- Lansing: 517-323-7239
- Flint: 810-234-8561
- Kalamazoo: 269-345-5137
- Saginaw: 989-752-7186
- Ann Arbor: 734-662-2675
- Traverse City: 231-946-4663
Step 7: Contact Catholic Charities
Catholic Charities has offices throughout Michigan and provides emergency housing assistance to anyone regardless of faith.
- Detroit (Catholic Charities of Southeast Michigan): 313-883-2100
- Grand Rapids (Catholic Charities West Michigan): 616-456-1443
- Lansing (Catholic Charities Diocese of Lansing): 517-372-4020
- Saginaw (Catholic Charities Diocese of Saginaw): 989-797-6638
- Kalamazoo (Catholic Charities Diocese of Kalamazoo): 269-349-1039
Michigan Government Programs for Emergency Housing
Michigan State Emergency Relief (SER)
Michigan’s State Emergency Relief program is one of the state’s most important and distinctive emergency assistance programs. SER provides direct emergency assistance — including payments for motel stays — for low-income Michigan residents facing housing crises. SER is administered through MDHHS county offices.
Apply: mibridges.michigan.gov | 855-275-6424
Michigan Department of Health and Human Services (MDHHS) — Emergency Assistance
MDHHS administers multiple programs that can cover emergency housing costs including temporary motel stays — including SER, Family Independence Program (FIP — Michigan’s TANF program), and other emergency assistance for qualifying individuals and families.
Contact: michigan.gov/mdhhs | 855-275-6424
Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA)
MSHDA manages Michigan’s affordable housing programs and distributes federal ESG and HOME funds to local service providers. They are the primary funder of emergency shelter and hotel voucher programs statewide.
Contact: michigan.gov/mshda | 517-373-8370
Emergency Solutions Grant (ESG) — Michigan
Michigan receives substantial federal ESG funding from HUD, distributed through MSHDA to local homeless service providers. ESG funds can cover emergency shelter including hotel stays when traditional shelter beds are unavailable.
Contact: MSHDA at michigan.gov/mshda
HUD Continuum of Care — Michigan CoC Programs
Michigan has numerous HUD-funded CoC programs managing regional homeless services. Key CoCs include:
- Detroit CoC (Detroit Continuum of Care)
- Grand Rapids/Kent County CoC
- Lansing/Ingham County CoC
- Flint/Genesee County CoC
- Kalamazoo City and County CoC
- Ann Arbor/Washtenaw County CoC
- Saginaw City and County CoC
- Balance of State Michigan CoC — all remaining Michigan counties
Find your local CoC: hudexchange.info
Michigan’s Homeless Action Network (HAN)
The Michigan Homeless Action Network coordinates advocacy and connects service providers statewide. HAN can help connect individuals with emergency housing resources across Michigan.
Contact: mihomeless.org
FEMA Transitional Sheltering Assistance (TSA)
If you’ve been displaced by a presidentially declared disaster in Michigan — such as a flood or tornado — FEMA’s TSA program can place you in a participating hotel or motel at no cost.
Apply: disasterassistance.gov | 1-800-621-3362
Veterans Affairs Supportive Housing (HUD-VASH) — Michigan
Homeless Michigan veterans have dedicated resources through the VA. VA social workers can often arrange emergency hotel stays while longer-term housing is arranged.
Michigan VA Locations:
- John D. Dingell VA Medical Center (Detroit): 313-576-1000
- Battle Creek VA Medical Center: 269-966-5600
- Aleda E. Lutz VA Medical Center (Saginaw): 989-497-2500
- Ann Arbor VA Medical Center: 734-769-7100
- Grand Rapids VA Clinic: 616-225-4400
- Lansing VA Clinic: 517-267-3902
National Veterans Homeless Hotline: 1-877-424-3838 (24/7)
Nonprofit Organizations Offering Hotel Vouchers in Michigan
Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries (DRMM)
DRMM is one of Detroit’s oldest and largest homeless service providers, operating multiple shelters and providing connections to hotel voucher programs for individuals and families in metro Detroit.
Contact: 313-993-4700 | drmm.org
Salvation Army Michigan
With locations across the Lower and Upper Peninsula, the Salvation Army is one of Michigan’s most consistent providers of emergency motel vouchers.
Website: salvationarmy.org
Catholic Charities Michigan
Multiple dioceses across Michigan provide emergency housing assistance and hotel voucher referrals regardless of faith background.
Covenant Community Care — Detroit
Covenant Community Care provides healthcare and social services to homeless and low-income individuals in Detroit, including connections to emergency housing and hotel voucher programs.
Contact: 313-961-1000 | covenantcommunitycare.org
Degage Ministries — Grand Rapids
Degage Ministries provides day services, emergency assistance, and housing connections for homeless individuals in the Grand Rapids area, including hotel voucher referrals.
Contact: 616-454-3590 | degageministries.org
Mel Trotter Ministries — Grand Rapids
Mel Trotter Ministries is one of Grand Rapids’s primary homeless service providers, operating emergency shelter and transitional housing programs with connections to hotel voucher programs.
Contact: 616-454-8249 | meltrotter.org
Kalamazoo Gospel Mission
The Kalamazoo Gospel Mission provides emergency shelter and connections to hotel voucher programs for homeless individuals and families in southwest Michigan.
Contact: 269-345-2974 | kalamazoogospelmission.org
Volunteers of America Michigan — Detroit
VOA Michigan provides emergency shelter, transitional housing, and connections to hotel voucher programs for homeless individuals and families in the Detroit metro area.
Contact: 313-579-5000 | voami.org
Homeless Action Network of Detroit (HAND)
HAND coordinates Detroit’s CoC and connects individuals with emergency housing resources including hotel vouchers across Wayne County.
Contact: 313-305-5000
Goodwill Industries of Greater Detroit
In addition to employment services, Goodwill Detroit provides emergency assistance and connections to hotel voucher programs for individuals and families in the Detroit metro area.
Contact: 313-964-3900 | goodwilldetroit.org
American Red Cross — Michigan
The Red Cross assists people displaced by Michigan’s floods, tornadoes, and severe weather. If your homelessness stems from a disaster, the Red Cross can arrange immediate hotel accommodations.
Contact: 1-800-733-2767 | redcross.org
Emergency Housing Help by City and Region in Michigan
Detroit / Metro Detroit (Wayne, Oakland, Macomb Counties)
Detroit has Michigan’s largest concentration of homeless services. Key resources include:
- Detroit 211: Dial 211
- Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries: 313-993-4700
- HAND (Detroit CoC): 313-305-5000
- VOA Michigan: 313-579-5000
- Covenant Community Care: 313-961-1000
- Salvation Army Detroit: 313-965-7760
- Catholic Charities Detroit: 313-883-2100
- MDHHS Detroit: 313-456-1000
Grand Rapids / Kent County
- Grand Rapids 211: Dial 211
- Mel Trotter Ministries: 616-454-8249
- Degage Ministries: 616-454-3590
- Salvation Army Grand Rapids: 616-459-3433
- Catholic Charities Grand Rapids: 616-456-1443
- MDHHS Grand Rapids: 616-356-0000
Lansing / Ingham County
- Lansing 211: Dial 211
- Salvation Army Lansing: 517-323-7239
- Catholic Charities Lansing: 517-372-4020
- Capital Area Community Services: 517-482-0977
- Advent House Ministries (day shelter): 517-374-0386
- MDHHS Lansing: 517-241-7000
Flint / Genesee County
- Flint 211: Dial 211
- Salvation Army Flint: 810-234-8561
- Catholic Charities Flint: 810-232-9950
- Genesee County Community Action Resource Department (GCCARD): 810-732-2668
- MDHHS Flint: 810-760-2000
Kalamazoo / Southwest Michigan
- Kalamazoo 211: Dial 211
- Kalamazoo Gospel Mission: 269-345-2974
- Salvation Army Kalamazoo: 269-345-5137
- Catholic Charities Kalamazoo: 269-349-1039
- MDHHS Kalamazoo: 269-337-4900
Ann Arbor / Washtenaw County
- Ann Arbor 211: Dial 211
- Salvation Army Ann Arbor: 734-662-2675
- Shelter Association of Washtenaw County: 734-662-2829
- Catholic Social Services Washtenaw: 734-971-9781
- MDHHS Ann Arbor: 734-622-4800
Saginaw / Mid-Michigan
- Saginaw 211: Dial 211
- Salvation Army Saginaw: 989-752-7186
- Catholic Charities Saginaw: 989-797-6638
- Saginaw County Community Action Committee: 989-752-7871
- MDHHS Saginaw: 989-758-1000
Upper Peninsula (Marquette / Iron Mountain)
The Upper Peninsula has unique needs due to its extreme winters and rural, remote communities:
- Upper Peninsula 211: Dial 211
- Marquette-Alger Community Action: 906-228-6522
- Salvation Army Marquette: 906-225-1321
- Great Lakes Recovery Centers (emergency housing): 906-228-9490
- MDHHS Marquette: 906-228-6561
- Dial 211 for other UP county resources
What to Do After Your Hotel Voucher Runs Out
A hotel voucher is a bridge — not a permanent solution. While you have temporary shelter, take these steps toward stable housing:
Connect with a case manager. Ask the organization that gave you the voucher to assign you a case manager. Case managers in Michigan can help you navigate housing programs, benefits, and resources specific to your county.
Apply for Rapid Re-Housing (RRH) in Michigan. RRH programs provide short-term rental assistance and support to help you move from homelessness into housing quickly. Contact your local CoC or dial 211 to find RRH programs available in your Michigan county.
Get on the Section 8 waitlist. The Housing Choice Voucher program provides long-term rental assistance. Contact MSHDA at michigan.gov/mshda or your local public housing authority to apply. Waitlists in Detroit and Grand Rapids can be long — apply as early as possible.
Apply for Michigan’s Emergency Rental Assistance. Contact MSHDA at michigan.gov/mshda or dial 211 to ask about current rental assistance programs available in your county.
Look into transitional housing. Organizations like Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries, Mel Trotter Ministries, Kalamazoo Gospel Mission, and the Salvation Army offer transitional housing programs in Michigan with support services to help you build long-term stability.
Apply for benefits you may qualify for. If you haven’t already, apply for SNAP food assistance, Michigan Medicaid, and the Family Independence Program (FIP/TANF) at your local MDHHS office or at mibridges.michigan.gov or benefits.gov.
Frequently Asked Questions
How do I get a hotel voucher in Michigan tonight?
Call 211 right now. Operators are available 24/7 and can connect you with emergency hotel voucher programs in your Michigan county. In Detroit, you can also contact Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries at 313-993-4700 or the Salvation Army at 313-965-7760 directly.
What is Michigan’s State Emergency Relief (SER) program?
Michigan’s SER program is a state-funded emergency assistance program that can provide direct payments for emergency motel stays for low-income Michigan residents facing a housing crisis. It is one of Michigan’s most important and distinctive emergency housing resources. Apply at your local MDHHS office or at mibridges.michigan.gov.
Does MDHHS provide hotel vouchers?
Yes. Michigan MDHHS manages SER and the Family Independence Program (FIP/TANF), both of which can cover temporary motel stays for qualifying individuals and families. Contact your local county MDHHS office directly to ask about available emergency funds.
Are hotel vouchers available in the Upper Peninsula?
Yes, though options may be more limited due to the UP’s remote geography. Marquette-Alger Community Action (906-228-6522) and local Salvation Army offices serve UP communities. Dial 211 for resources in your specific UP county. Local churches and faith organizations are especially important resources in smaller UP communities.
Can I get a hotel voucher without an ID in Michigan?
Many programs will still help you without a photo ID, though having one speeds up the process. If you’ve lost your ID, ask your caseworker or local MDHHS office about emergency identification assistance. Michigan’s SER program may be able to assist with ID replacement costs.
Are there hotel vouchers for homeless veterans in Michigan?
Yes. Contact the National Call Center for Homeless Veterans at 1-877-424-3838 (24/7) or your nearest Michigan VA facility. VA social workers can often arrange emergency hotel stays same-day for veterans in crisis.
Are there hotel vouchers for domestic violence survivors in Michigan?
Yes. Call the National Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-800-799-7233 (24/7) or the Michigan Domestic Violence Hotline at 1-866-864-2338 (24/7) for immediate safe housing assistance.
Does Michigan have emergency housing during extreme cold?
Yes. Michigan’s winters — particularly in the Upper Peninsula and northern Lower Michigan — are severe and life-threatening. Local shelters maintain winter overflow capacity, and emergency hotel placements are made during dangerous cold weather events. Dial 211 for current warming center and emergency shelter locations in your area.
What if there are no hotel vouchers available in my area?
If vouchers are unavailable, ask about shelter beds, warming centers, or contact the National Homeless Hotline at 1-877-466-4782 for additional options.
Final Thoughts
If you need a hotel voucher in Michigan tonight, your first call should be to 211. From there, operators can connect you with the nearest available program — whether that’s MDHHS’s State Emergency Relief program, Detroit Rescue Mission Ministries, Mel Trotter Ministries, the Salvation Army, a Community Action Agency, or another local organization in your county.
Michigan has resources for you. Don’t wait to reach out — that’s exactly what these programs are here for.
Last Updated: 2026 | Sources: Michigan MDHHS, Michigan MSHDA, HUD, FEMA, Salvation Army Michigan
Program availability and funding levels vary by county and change frequently. Always verify current availability directly with the providing organization.