Housing & Neighborhood Services

Chris Forth
Deputy Director of Planning, Development & Neighborhood Services
Phone: 329-4474
Email: forthc@portagemi.gov

The Department of Community Development has responsibility for maintaining and improving housing and neighborhoods and ensuring the overall public safety and quality of life in the community.

For information regarding Community Quality standards relating to property and housing maintenance, please review the Neighborhood Support Program and Neighborhood Quality: A guide for Housing Maintenance
For assistance to a citizen in need, please review the Human Services Information & Referral Resources brochure. In addition, please review the web page for the Human Services Board, which is supported by Community Development staff.

Housing Assistance Programs

Tom McCoy
Neighborhood Program Specialist

Phone: 324-9280

Email: mccoyt@portagemi.gov

Community Development strives to improve the housing stock and increase access to decent, affordable housing through assistance programs supported by the Community Development Block Grant Program (CDBG) funded by the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development, and other funding sources.

The CDBG Program provides:

housing rehabilitation loans and emergency repair grants to income-eligible homeowners; and
first-time home buyer assistance programs to income-eligible households within select Portage neighborhoods.

If you are interested in obtaining an application to participate in CDBG-funded Housing Assistance programs, please contact the Neighborhood Program Specialist, Tom McCoy at 324-9280 or via email at mccoyt@portagemi.gov.There are several other community resources to assist residents with housing needs. These resources are summarized below.

For housing discrimination concerns, please contact the Fair Housing Center of Southwest Michigan. The City of Portage has a Non-Discrimination Ordinance. For assistance, please complete the Non-Discrimination Complaint Form or contact the Office of the City Manager at (269) 329-4400.
For tenant-landlord disputes, please contact West Michigan Legal Aid;
For eviction diversion, please contact the Gryphon Place 2-1-1 service;
For prevention of utility shut-offs and other financial assistance relating to housing, please contact the Gryphon Place 2-1-1 and/or the Portage Community Center;
For assistance in obtaining affordable housing, please contact Housing Resources, Inc., or conduct a search using the Michigan State Housing Development Authority (MSHDA) Affordable Housing Locator.