Who Issued My Ticket? Understanding BSEED, DPW, and DAH
Category: Detroit Dictionary
Common Question: "Who do I call to fix this?"
The Detroit enforcement ecosystem is a web of acronyms. Knowing who issued the ticket tells you how to fight it.
1. BSEED (Buildings, Safety Engineering, and Environmental Department)
- The "Structural" Enforcers.
- What they write: Rental Registration (8-15-81), Rodent Harborage (8-15-105), Dangerous Buildings.
- The Vibe: Serious, technical. These inspectors know the code inside and out.
- Strategy: You usually need photo evidence of a repair to win.
2. DPW (Department of Public Works) - Solid Waste
- The "Trash" Police.
- What they write: High Grass (8-15-104), Illegal Dumping (42-2-97), Courville Containers (42-2-50).
- The Vibe: High volume, drive-by enforcement.
- Strategy: Often susceptible to "Wrong Owner" or "Not My Trash" defenses if you have camera footage.
3. DAH (Department of Appeals and Hearings)
- The "Court."
- They do not issue tickets. They judge them.
- Role: This is where you go to fight. They are independent of BSEED and DPW.
4. DPD (Detroit Police Department)
- The "Quality of Life" Unit.
- What they write: Inoperable Vehicles, Commercial Vehicles in Residential Zones.
- Risk: These often come with stricter immediate impound risks.
Detroit Compliance aggregates data from all these sources into one dashboard.