Developing an Equity-Centered Approach to Enforcing Housing Laws in Detroit, Michigan©
Policy Brief | 2026
Ruqaiijah Yearby, Debbie Chase, Crystal N. Lewis, Prashasti Bhatnagar, & Kemba Noel-London
Executive Summary
Although many housing laws seem neutral, when enforced, they disproportionately harm tenants, even in places with tenant friendly laws. In fact, a state-wide study in Michigan found that more eviction cases were filed in census tracts with higher rates of single mothers and against African Americans in urban areas. For our study, we conducted a data scan, policy surveillance of eviction laws, and stakeholder interviews to understand the gaps in the equitable enforcement of eviction laws in Detroit, Michigan. Our primary focus was on Detroit, but we also reviewed the data and laws in Michigan state and Wayne County. This policy brief is a discussion of these laws (Detroit, Wayne County, and Michigan) and includes a comparison with the four other jurisdictions we studied: 1) Jackson, Mississippi; 2) St. Louis, Missouri; 3) Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and 4) Seattle, Washington.
For a detailed summary of the eviction and illegal lockout laws in Detroit, Michigan; Jackson, Mississippi; St. Louis, Missouri; Philadelphia, Pennsylvania; and Seattle, Washington see Appendix B of the full report.
Key Michigan Policy Brief Figures
Eviction Laws in Other Jurisdictions
As part of the project, “Developing an Equity-Centered Approach to Enforcing Housing Laws,” we summarized the eviction laws, including illegal lockout laws, in four additional jurisdictions. Specifically, we summarized laws from the state, county, and city levels from each jurisdiction, using plain language so all housing stakeholders would be able to understand the law. We also provided citations for the laws for those who want to read the actual text of the law. For a full discussion of the laws, see the project’s “Summary of Laws” report.
