(PatriotNews.net) – Michigan is rolling out a plan that offers $500 a month to residents who are willing to house migrants. Known as the Newcomer Rental Subsidy, this initiative aims to provide alternative shelter options for refugees, extending help to homeowners for up to a year. Eligible individuals include refugees, asylum seekers, special visa holders, human trafficking survivors, and those granted humanitarian parole from countries like Ukraine and Afghanistan.
The program also extends to Minnesota where Democratic officials introduced a similar plan earlier this month to offer monthly payments of $500 for 18 to 24 months to eligible recipients.
Amy Hovey, head of the Michigan State Housing Development Authority, believes the program will assist migrants in establishing themselves in the state and to secure employment and integrate into society.
Funding for the program, totaling $4 million, comes from the Michigan Housing and Community Development Fund. Michigan has seen an influx of migrants from various countries, including the Democratic Republic of Congo, Syria, and Ukraine, with over 700 migrants settling in the state in 2022 alone.
Michigan isn’t the only place offering incentives to residents to accommodate migrants. Denver, for example, has also initiated similar programs to alleviate the burden on the city’s resources caused by housing migrants.
In 2023, more than 325,000 migrants from Cuba, Haiti, Nicaragua, and Venezuela benefited from the CHNV parole program, which aimed to ensure their safety and facilitate family reunification in the United States.
The Newcomer Rental Subsidy, administered by the Michigan Department of Labor and Economic Opportunity, is designed to provide financial support to newcomers based on their immigration status and household income. It aims to address housing challenges faced by refugees and facilitate their social integration into Michigan communities.
Under the program, individuals with pending asylum applications will be considered for eligibility on a case-by-case basis. The initiative is part of broader efforts by states and local governments to support migrants and address their immediate needs, including housing and financial assistance.
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