Policy Research

Your Account Balance is Due—Pay Up or Get Out: Streamlining the Eviction Process in Michigan

Mary Jo Weindorf

Summary

This article explains the eviction process in Michigan and argues that it should be changed to become more “pro-landlord”. It claims that tenants are favored in both the statute and application of the legal process, as the burden of filing for eviction and going through the court process is placed on the landlord. Thus, the article suggests that the process should become more favorable towards landlords by increasing the speed of the process and creating a government agency to act as a middleman between the tenant and landlord. This, the article argues, will alleviate problems in the housing and rental market as landlords will feel more secure in their rights and will, therefore, be more likely to invest in new properties as well as invite new landlords into the market.

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Policy Implications

This article provides an argument for why Michigan’s policies regarding evictions cases instigated by nonpayment of rent should become more pro-landlord by speeding up the eviction process and creating a new government agency to serve as a middleman between tenants and landlords. This article also suggests that favoring landlords in the eviction process will have positive effects on the housing market as landlords will feel more secure and more likely to buy property to rent out. Nevertheless, policymakers should be careful in changing these policies as to not deprive tenants of their rights in the eviction process.