Obtaining and maintaining housing requires knowledge of a variety of service providers and other agencies. Often the acronym is used alone, without the full name. Following are some acronyms with their full names. We have also provided links to additional information for most of the acronyms

• AAAAM – Area Agencies on Aging Association of Michigan
• ACT – Assertive Community Treatment
• ADA – The Americans with Disabilities Act
• AFC – Adult Foster Care
• AoA – Administration on Aging.
• ARC - formerly known at the Association for Retarded Citizens, the name was changed to Arc as the previous name was offensive to the people they serve.
• CAA – Community Action Agencies, often established by county; many have now changed their names so that they may not be recognizable as a CAA or CAP agency.
• CACS – Capital Area Community Services, a Lansing based non-profit
• CEDAM – Community Economic Development Association of Michigan
• CONNECT – College Organizations Networking Now Each Creating Ties
• CIL – Centers for Independent Living, many now known under different names, some recently (2006) changed to include "Disability Network" in their name.
• CMH – Community Mental Health
• CMS – Center for Medicare and Medicaid Services
• CSH – Corporation for Supportive Housing.
• DLEG - Department of Labor and Economic Growth - Michigan
• DCH – Department of Community Health, formerly Community Mental Health, a Michigan state agency
• M DDC – Michigan Developmental Disabilities Council also sometimes called the "DD Council"
• DHS – Department of Human Services, formerly FIA (Family Independence Agency) and before that the DSS (Department of Social Services)
• DN/M - Disability Network/Michigan
• DRACH – Disability Rights Coalition for Housing
• HcofC – Housing Continuum of Care
• HOPWA – Housing Opportunities for Persons With AIDS.
• HIV: Human Immunodeficiency Virus
• HUD – Department of Housing and Urban Development
• IDEA Center-Inclusive Design and Environmental Access Center
• LGBT Community: Lesbian, Gay Bisexual, Trangendered
• MACIL – Michigan Association of Centers for Independence now called Disability Network/Michigan
• MCAH – Michigan Coalition Against Homelessness
• MICASSA – Medicaid Community-Based Attendant Services and Supports Act
• MDRC – Michigan Disability Rights Coalition
• MHMIS – Michigan Homeless Management Information System
• MIG Project – Medicaid Infrastructure Grant
• MRS – Michigan Rehabilitation Services, a part of DLEG
• MSHDA – Michigan State Housing Development Authority
• NCSHA – National Council of State Housing Agencies
• NIMBY – Not In My Back Yard. We know society needs it, but please not in my back yard.
• NFTI – Nursing Facility Transition Initiative
• NGO – Non-Governmental Organization
• NHI – National Housing Institute
• NPHC – Non-profit Housing Commission
• OAA – Older Americans Act
• OSA – Michigan Offices on Services to the Aging
• PHA – Public Housing Authority.
• PWD – Person With a Disability, People with disabilities
• RICC – Regional Interagency Consumer Committees, local groups of the Developmental Disabilities Council in Michigan.
• SILC - Statewide Independent Living Council
• TAC – Technical Assistance Collaborative
• UCP – United Cerebral Palsy, UCP Michigan, UCP of Metro Detroit
• UCPA-United Cerebral Palsy Association
• UPCAP Services Inc– Upper Peninsula Commission for Area Progress Services, Inc
• USDA – United States Department of Agriculture, parent group of Rural Development which is a source of funding for housing for persons with disabilities and their families.
• WID - World Institute on Disability