Safe Homes Task Force

Safe Homes Task Force is comprised of several City departments and resource partners working collaboratively to make sure all homes throughout the City are safe and risk free for our residents. 

Safe Homes Task Force Members include Sterling Heights Police and Fire Departments, City Attorney, Water Billing, City Management, Building Department, Code Enforcement, Assessing, Community Development Block Grants, City Council, Ordinance Board of Appeals, Macomb County Health Department, Macomb County Animal Control, Community Mental Health, Area Agency on Aging 1-B, Statewide Intake.

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Why Recognizing Signs of Hoarding is Important

Hoarding creates a number of health and safety hazards and conditions that can increase the risk of fire and block entry by public safety personnel. The accumulation of flammable materials, such as papers, clothing and cardboard, and rubbish, can pose a severe fire hazard. The amount of combustible materials creates an intensely hot, fast-spreading fire that is difficult to suppress. Escaping the home in a fire can be impossible due to blocked hallways, doorways and windows. 

In addition, public safety personnel’s access to the home can be hampered or blocked. Hoarding can also present significant health hazards and can cause disease or injury to the hoarder, family members and the community. Hoarding can be a potential indicator of mental health problems such as OCD and dementia. Finally, clean-up of hoarding homes can be extremely costly for landlords and local governments.