Mich. Comp. Laws § § 37.2505
Condition, restriction, or prohibition limiting use or occupancy of real property; exceptions; inserting or honoring void provision.
Operative Text
Sec. 505. (1) A condition, restriction, or prohibition, including a right of entry or possibility of reverter, that directly or indirectly limits the use or occupancy of real property on the basis of religion, race, color, national origin, age, sex, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, familial status, or marital status is void, except a limitation of use as provided in section 503(1)(c) or on the basis of religion relating to real property held by a religious institution or organization, or by a religious or charitable organization operated, supervised, or controlled by a religious institution or organization, and used for religious or charitable purposes. (2) A person shall not insert in a written instrument relating to real property a provision that is void under this section or honor such a provision in the chain of title.
Michigan Civil Rights Act § 37.2505 declares that any deed restriction, covenant, or similar condition that limits who may use or occupy real property based on protected characteristics—such as race, religion, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, familial status, or marital status—has no legal force. Narrow exceptions exist for religious or charitable organizations using property for religious or charitable purposes, and for certain senior housing arrangements recognized elsewhere in the Act. The provision also bars anyone from inserting such discriminatory language into new property documents or giving effect to such language already found in a chain of title.
Plain English — not legal advice.
Property owners and managers operating under Michigan law should be aware that § 37.2505 renders unenforceable any deed language, covenant, or recorded restriction that conditions occupancy or use on a buyer's or renter's protected characteristics. Compliant operators review title documents and leases to ensure no such provisions are carried forward or relied upon, even if the language predates current law. When preparing or recording instruments related to real property, operators generally omit or affirmatively disclaim any discriminatory conditions that may appear in older documents.
General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.
Under MCL § 37.2505, tenants have a right to occupy housing free from restrictions rooted in race, religion, national origin, sex, age, sexual orientation, gender identity or expression, familial status, or marital status—regardless of what older deed language may say. If a landlord attempts to enforce or honor such a restriction, that action may constitute a violation of Michigan's Elliott-Larsen Civil Rights Act, and tenants can explore filing a complaint with the Michigan Department of Civil Rights or raising the void provision as a defense in a housing proceeding. Tenant-rights organizations and legal aid offices familiar with § 37.2505 can help individuals understand the options available to them.
General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.
Generated October 13, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.
Effective Timeline
References In
Rules and statutes that cite this regulation