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City Departments

Building Department

SHIP

The Southfield Home Improvement Program

The Southfield Home Improvement Program (SHIP) (interactive pdf) is a low-interest loan program for income qualified homeowners. The focus of the program concentrates on the maintaining of the existing structure as it relates to health and safety issues and minimum housing standards. It does not get involved with remodeling or updating for cosmetic purposes, additions or new construction projects. Typical types of improvements include roofs, windows, doors, siding, insulation, heating, electrical, and plumbing repairs. The program is funded by the Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) through the Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) Program. The City of Southfield participates in the efforts to reduce lead-based paint hazards.

Qualifications include the following guidelines:

  • You must be a homeowner/occupant.
  • You must have owned the home for at least one year.
  • The home must be covered by homeowners insurance.
  • The property taxes must be current.
  • Only one lien currently existing on the property.
  • The combined annual household gross income must not exceed the income limits as determined by HUD listed below.
Household Size Max. Gross Income
1 $39,150
2 $44,750
3 $50,350
4 $55,900
5 $60,400
6 $64,850
7 $69,350
8 $73,800











To obtain more information or to request a brochure and application, call Greg Sherman at (248) 796-4173, Monday through Friday, 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.



 

Did You Know?

  • Temperature of water and time until skin damage
  • 120°                        4 minutes and 50 seconds
  • 125°                        50 seconds
  • 130°                        15 seconds
  • 135°                        5.5 seconds
  • 140°                        2.6 seconds
  • Greater than 140°     Less than 1 second

  • Residential plans are required to be kept by the Building Department for 10 years. As a courtesy, the plans are returned to the property owner after that time period.

  • The required width of an exit door in a residential home is 3 feet. This dimension was based on the ability to get a coffin through the door.

  • It's OK to be square.....sometimes.
    When the top and bottom are the same length and the sides are identical the job should be square (90 degree angles).

  • The weight of one cubic foot of concrete weighs 150 pounds.

  • The weight of the average house is 40 pounds per square foot.

  • The Building Code of Hammurabi, King of the Babylonian Empire, is the earliest known written Building Code of Law, written in 2200 B.C. It is noted that exact requirements for construction are not given; rather, the code assesses penalties if the building is not properly constructed. An example: In Hammurabi’s kingdom the ultimate penalty for unsafe construction was death.