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Low Income Apartments and Affordable Housing For Rent in Grand Rapids, MI

Discover affordable housing in Grand Rapids where there are 148+ housing opportunities based on income and household needs like accessible units for seniors or persons with disabilities. Find and apply to these low income apartments now.

Image of Creston Park

Creston Park

140 Barnett St NE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503

Image of Alten Houses Project

Alten Houses Project

108 Alten Ave NE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503

Image of Heartside 235 S Division Ave 10 - 12

Heartside 235 S Division Ave 10 - 12

235 Division Ave S, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503

Image of Rehabilitation of 1102 and 1131 Madison Se

Rehabilitation of 1102 and 1131 Madison Se

1102 Madison Ave SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49507

Image of Traditions of Grand Rapids

Traditions of Grand Rapids

2230 Eastcastle Dr SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49508

switch_access_shortcut Short Wait
real_estate_agent Accepts Vouchers
accessibility Accessible
Image of 1702 Eastern Se

1702 Eastern Se

1702 Eastern Ave SE, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49507

switch_access_shortcut Short Wait
real_estate_agent Accepts Vouchers
Image of Michigan

Michigan

117 Putnam St SW, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49507

Image of Grandville Homes Project

Grandville Homes Project

Multi-Location Grandville Ave SW, Grand Rapids, Michigan 49503

How To Identify Affordable Housing in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Look for program and preference badges on affordable apartment listings. These badges can help you identify the types of low income housing each apartment offers and if you may be eligbile for rental assistance or reduced rents.

Badge Description
switch_access_shortcut Short Wait
 Low income apartments with no or short waiting lists.
payment Subsidized
 Low income housing where the rent is subsidized and the renter pays only a portion of total rent.
real_estate_agent Accepts Vouchers
 Apartments that accept Section 8 vouchers near you
elderly Senior
 Rental housing for seniors who are 55 (or sometimes 62) and older.
payment Income Based
 Affordable apartments where the rent paid is based on renter income.
accessibility Accessible
 Meets Accessibilty Requirements of the Fair Housing Act, the ADA, or HUD policy.
accessible_forward Disability
 Apartments for individuals or families with disabilities.
real_estate_agent Naturally Affordable
 Naturally Occuring Affordable Housing - or NOAH - is any housing unit that offers affordable rent without participating in a rent subsidy program.
The Hourly Wage Needed to Afford A Safe, Modest 2 Bed Apartment In Grand Rapids, Michigan
$25.93/hour
$15.60 (+151%) more than Michigan minimum wage and $18.68 (+258%) more than the Federal minimum wage.
Learn More About Grand Rapids, Michigan Affordable Housing ↓

What HUD offices serve Grand Rapids, Michigan?

Public Housing Agencies operate federally assisted affordable housing programs at local levels on behalf of HUD. Notably, housing agencies are responsible for managing Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher, Public Housing, and Project-Based Voucher waiting lists within their jurisdiction.

Michigan State Housing Development Authority
Operates the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV), Homeownership Voucher, Family Self-Sufficiency, Veteran Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH), Section 8 Project-Based Voucher (PBV) programs for Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Grand Rapids Housing Commission
Operates the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV), Public Housing, Homeownership Voucher, Family Self-Sufficiency, Veteran Affairs Supportive Housing (VASH), Section 8 Project-Based Voucher (PBV), Mainstream Voucher, Rental Assistance Demonstration (RAD) programs for Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Wyoming Housing Commission
Operates the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV), Public Housing programs for Grand Rapids, Michigan.
Kent County Community Action
Operates the Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher (HCV) programs for Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Go to the Michigan Public Housing and Low-Income Apartments Waiting Lists page for openings near Grand Rapids.

How many renters live in Grand Rapids, Michigan?

The City of Grand Rapids has people living in households.

There are renters living in renter households in this City. Renters make up 42.32 percent of the population living in Grand Rapids.

What is the rental market like in Grand Rapids, Michigan?

There are an estimated housing units in the Grand Rapids area. Of these, units are rental homes, making up percent of the housing market. For every renter household in Grand Rapids, Michigan, there are 1.05 rental units.

What is the vacancy rate for rentals in Grand Rapids?

The rental vacancy rate in Grand Rapids is 5 percent. This is a lower than average vacancy rate. When rental vacancy rates are low there are fewer available units. Rents tend to be higher as more people compete for scarce housing.

How many rental units are in Grand Rapids for each bedroom size?

Occupied Rental Units by Size in Grand Rapids
Studio One-Bedroom Two-Bedroom Three-Bedroom Four+ Bedrooms
2,950 11,869 15,068 7,051 1,946
Occupied Rental Units by Size in Grand Rapids

A large number of apartments in Grand Rapids have two or fewer bedrooms. Seniors and young professionals especially may have more success finding an apartment that meets their needs.

How Much Is Rent in Grand Rapids

Depending on size, the Fair Market Rent - HUDs measurement of the cost of an average housing unit - ranges from $1,093 to $1,963. FMRs are updated annually by HUD for every city and county nationwide.

Bed Size 2024 Fair Market Rents
Studio $1,093
One BR $1,142
Two BR $1,369
Three BR $1,785
Four BR $1,963
2024 Fair Market Rents in Grand Rapids, Michigan

How many units are rented at Fair Market Rent (FMR) in Grand Rapids?

Renters with a Section 8 Housing Choice Voucher must select a home that is at or below the area’s Fair Market Rent. Markets with a large share of units above FMR tend to have longer search times to find a qualified unit, while those with a large share of units below FMR tend to have more choices and shorter search times. The share below FMR can vary by size of unit, as shown in the table below.

These are the approximate number of units renting below the FMR in this market:

Unit Size Count of Units Below FMR Percentage of Total Units Below FMR
Studio 1,681 57 percent
One BR 5,041 42 percent
Two BR 8,726 58 percent
Rental Units Below FMR in Grand Rapids, Michigan

How many affordable rental units are in Grand Rapids?

There are a variety of federal affordable housing programs serving households in Grand Rapids, Michigan including the following:

Federal Program Unit Count
Low Income Housing Tax Credit
Public Housing
Section 8 Project-Based Rental Assistance
Mod Rehab Project-Based Rental Assistance
Section 202 Supportive Housing for the Elderly
Section 811 Supportive Housing for Persons with Disabilities
Tracked Units by Federal Program in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Rental units may be funded in part by multiple federal programs.

Income Based Apartments in Grand Rapids, Michigan

Grand Rapids features 2,410 income based apartments. Tenants of income based apartments typically pay no more than 30% of their income towards rent and utilities.

Low Rent Apartments in Grand Rapids, Michigan

There are 3,284 rent subsidized apartments that do not provide direct rental assistance but remain affordable to low income households in Grand Rapids.

Housing Choice Vouchers in Grand Rapids, Michigan

On average, Section 8 Housing Choice vouchers pay Grand Rapids landlords $600 per month towards rent. The average voucher holder contributes $300 towards rent in Grand Rapids.

The maximum amount a voucher would pay on behalf of a low-income tenant in Grand Rapids, Michigan for a two-bedroom apartment is between $1,232 and $1,506.

Sourced from federal housing data and AffordableHousingOnline.com research.