The reports have been spread by a few members of the Detroit firefighter and police officer unions angered by Hertel's opposition to a bill that would lift Detroit's residency requirement for city workers, the Detroit Democrat said.
Hertel, currently the House minority leader, takes over as speaker in January.
WXYZ-TV in Southfield reported last week that Hertel does not live in the 2nd district in northeast Detroit that he represents in the Legislature. Instead, the station reported, he lives in another Detroit neighborhood nearby.
Hertel disputed that this week in Lansing.
"My residence is in the district. I live there," he said.
The television station's report was based in part on various records and listings that give different Detroit addresses for Hertel - one for a home in his district and one for a home just outside its boundaries.
The lawmaker said he owns both houses. He lives in the one inside the 2nd district, while his family lives at the other address, he said.
"Sometimes I live here (in Lansing). Sometimes I live at my residence. And sometimes I live with my family," Hertel said.
Legally, it is a moot point. Lawmakers are required to have a voting address in their districts, but are seldom punished if they don't actually live there. Many lawmakers maintain residences both in their districts and in Lansing.
For example, current Speaker Paul Hillegonds (R-Holland) lives in Lansing with his wife and two young children instead of in his west Michigan district. He returns to his Holland home on many weekends.
Hertel said the decision made by him and his wife, Vickie, for him to live separately from his family was a tough choice.
"It was a decision my wife and I made about where we wanted our family to live and go to school," he said. "It was a difficult decision because it keeps us apart. But I don't apologize for that."
Detroit firefighter Mark Knowles, who went to WXYZ with the charges, said in a telephone interview that city workers like himself want the same choice lawmakers have.
"They enjoy this duality of benefit," Knowles said. "But they don't want to pass it on to us."
The bill lifting the residency requirement is stalled in a House committee.