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It's no secret, most of us would like to stay in our own home as we age. Yet, sometimes our loved ones just need a little extra help to remain comfortable at home. That's where Always Best Care can help....we are dedicated to exceeding expectations....always.

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Home Care In St Clair Shores, MI

Home Care St Clair Shores, MI

They say that your golden years are the best years of your life. For most older Americans, that's how it should be - a time to relax, reflect, and live life in a familiar place. After all, senior citizens in the U.S. have worked tirelessly to build a better economy, serve their communities, and raise families.

However, as seniors grow older, completing daily tasks like showering and enjoying activities such as visiting Milk River Settlement historical plaque in St Clair Shores, MI gets harder without someone by their side. Unfortunately, many older Americans aren't able to rely on their adult children for help. The reality in today's world is that family members do not have the skills or time to dedicate to caring for their parents. That's where Always Best Care Senior Services comes in.

Our in-home care services are for people who prefer to stay at home as they grow older but need ongoing care that family or friends cannot provide. More and more older adults prefer to live far away from long-term, institutionalized facilities and closer to the place where they feel most comfortable - their home. Home care in St Clair Shores, MI is a safe, effective way to give your loved ones the care they need when they need it the most.

 In-Home Care St Clair Shores, MI

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The Always Best Care Difference

Since 1996, Always Best Care has provided non-medical in-home care for seniors to help them maintain a healthy lifestyle as they get older. We are proud to have helped more than 25,000 seniors maintain higher levels of dignity and respect. We focus on providing seniors with the highest level of in-home care available so that they may live happily and independently.

Unlike some senior care companies, we genuinely want to be included in our clients' lives. We believe that personalized care is always the better option over a "one size fits all" approach. To make sure our senior clients receive the best care possible, we pair them with compassionate caregivers who understand their unique needs. That way, they may provide care accordingly without compromising their wellbeing.

The Always Best Care difference lies in life's little moments - where compassionate care and trustworthy experience come together to help seniors live a fruitful, healthy life. Whether you are an aging adult that can't quite keep up with life's daily tasks or the child of a senior who needs regular in-home services, Always Best Care is here to help.

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TESTIMONIALS

“Tom and staff are incredible on working with families if you’re having issue with your mom or dad or any senior give Tom a call he can help”

Mark M.
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TESTIMONIALS

“Best place I’ve ever worked. Not only do they take care of their clients, their employees too!! Blessed everyday to work for this company”

Jeanine L.
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TESTIMONIALS

“I’d like to thank always best care for all their support. As this was my first experience with any senior care agency, I was a bit apprehensive but they were great right from the start. All the caregivers were very attentive and assisted my parents with proper care at home. Undoubtedly a great caregiving agency..”

Christoper W.
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TESTIMONIALS

“I am a past client of this provider We used Always Best Care of Macomb County for my friend and they were wonderful. We chose them because they had a little edge on the caregiving model that they use and they negotiated the price with us. The caregivers were professional and prompt. They provided my friend with companionship, helped with feeding, and they were available at night for nighttime issues that arose. They were also there to pass meds to her, to facilitate her taking her anti-anxiety pills, and to reassure her. They were always prompt in returning my phone calls and they kept a notebook so we could communicate. They solicited feedback too.”

Cindy
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TESTIMONIALS

“We used Always Best Care of Macomb County for my friend and they were wonderful. We chose them because they had a little edge on the caregiving model that they use and they negotiated the price with us. The caregivers were professional and prompt. They provided my friend with companionship, helped with feeding, and they were available at night for nighttime issues that arose. They were also there to pass meds to her, to facilitate her taking her anti-anxiety pills, and to reassure her. They were always prompt in returning my phone calls and they kept a notebook so we could communicate. They solicited feedback too.”

Cindy
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TESTIMONIALS

“Good review Good review Good review Good review Good review Good review”

Mr. -.
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TESTIMONIALS

“They have always gone the extra mile for me on every call!”

Mick M.

What is Non-Medical Senior Care in St Clair Shores, MI?

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Home is where the heart is. While that saying can sound a tad cliche, it is especially true for many seniors living in America. When given a choice, older adults most often prefer to grow older at home. An AARP study found that three out of four adults over the age of 50 want to stay in their homes and communities as they age.

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When you begin to think about why, it makes sense. Home offers a sense of security, comfort, and familiarity.

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The truth is, as we age, we begin to rely on others for help. When a family is too busy or lives too far away to fulfill this role, in-home senior care is often the best solution. Home care services allow seniors to enjoy personal independence while also receiving trustworthy assistance from a trained caregiver.

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At Always Best Care, we offer a comprehensive range of home care services to help seniors stay healthy while they get the help they need to remain independent. As your senior loved one gets older, giving them the gift of senior care is one of the best ways to show your love, even if you live far away.

 Senior Care St Clair Shores, MI

Types of Elderly Care in St Clair Shores, MI

To give our senior clients the best care possible, we offer a full spectrum of in-home care services:

Personal Care

Personal Care Services

If your senior loved one has specific care needs, our personal care services are a great choice to consider. Personal care includes the standard caregiving duties associated with companion care and includes help with tasks such as dressing and grooming. Personal care can also help individuals with chronic conditions like diabetes.

Common personal care services include assistance with:

  • Eating
  • Mobility Issues
  • Incontinence
  • Bathing
  • Dressing
  • Grooming

Respite Care St Clair Shores, MI
Home Helper

Home Helper Services

Sometimes, seniors need helpful reminders to maintain a high quality of life at home. If you or your senior has trouble with everyday tasks like cooking, our home helper services will be very beneficial.

Common home helper care services include assistance with:

  • Medication Reminders
  • Meal Preparation
  • Pet Care
  • Prescription Refills
  • Morning Wake-Up
  • Walking
  • Reading
 Caregivers St Clair Shores, MI
Companionship Services

Companionship Services

Using this kind of care is a fantastic way to make life easier for you or your senior loved one. At Always Best Care, our talented caregivers often fill the role of a companion for seniors. That way, older adults can enjoy their favorite local activities, such as visiting Veterans Memorial Park in St Clair Shores, MI with friends while also receiving the care they need daily or weekly.

Common companionship services include:

  • Grocery Shopping
  • Transportation to Appointments
  • Nutritional Assistance
  • Conversation
  • Planning Outings
  • Completing Errands
  • Transportation to Community
  • Events and Social Outings
Home Care St Clair Shores, MI
Respite Care

Respite Care Services

According to AARP, more than 53 million adults living in the U.S. provide care to someone over 50 years old. Unfortunately, these caregivers experience stress, exhaustion, and even depression. Our respite care services help family caregivers address urgent obligations, spend time with their children, and enjoy nearby activities. Perhaps more importantly, respite care gives family members time to recharge and regroup. Taking personal time to de-stress reduces the risk of caregiver burnout. So, if you've always wanted to eat at the local Fishbone's St. Clair Shores or visit St Clair Shores Historical, don't feel bad. Doing so is great for both you and your loved one.

At the end of the day, our goal is to become a valuable part of your senior's daily routine. That way, we may help give them the highest quality of life possible. We know that staying at home is important for your loved one, and we are here to help make sure that is possible.

If you have been on the fence about non-medical home care, there has never been a better time than now to give your senior the care, assistance, and companionship they deserve.

 In-Home Care St Clair Shores, MI

Benefits of Home Care in St Clair Shores, MI

Always Best Care in-home services are for older adults who prefer to stay at home but need ongoing care that friends and family cannot provide. In-home care is a safe, effective way for seniors to age gracefully in a familiar place and live independent, non-institutionalized lives. The benefits of non-medical home care are numerous. Here are just a few reasons to consider senior care services from Always Best Care:

Always Best Care offers a full array of care options for patients at all levels of health. With our trusted elderly care services, your loved one will receive the level of care necessary for them to enjoy the highest possible quality of life.

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Aging in Place: The Preferred Choice for Most Seniors

While it's true that some seniors have complicated medical needs that prevent them from staying at home, aging in place is often the best arrangement for seniors and their families. With a trusted caregiver, seniors have the opportunity to live with a sense of dignity and do so as they see fit - something that is unavailable to many older people today.

In-home care makes it possible for millions of seniors to age in place every year. Rather than moving to a strange nursing home, seniors have the chance to stay at home where they feel the happiest and most comfortable.

Here are just a few of the reasons why older men and women prefer to age at home:

How much does a senior's home truly mean to them?

A study published by the American Society on Aging found that more than half of seniors say their home's emotional value means more than how much their home is worth in monetary value. It stands to reason, then, that a senior's home is where they want to grow old.

With the help of elderly care in St Clair Shores, MI, seniors don't have to age in a sterilized care facility. Instead, they can age gracefully in the place they want to be most: their home. In contrast, seniors who move to a long-term care facility must adapt to new environments, new people, and new systems that the facility implements. At this stage in life, this kind of drastic change can be more harmful than helpful.

Institutional care facilities like nursing homes often put large groups of people together to live in one location. On any given day, dozens of staff members and caregivers run in and out of these facilities. Being around so many new people in a relatively small living environment can be dangerous for a seniors' health and wellbeing. When you consider that thousands of seniors passed away in nursing homes during the COVID-19 pandemic, opting for in-home care is often a safer, healthier choice for seniors.

Aging in place has been shown to improve seniors' quality of life, which helps boost physical health and also helps insulate them from viral and bacterial risks found in elderly living facilities.

For many seniors, the ability to live independently with assistance from a caregiver is a priceless option. With in-home care, seniors experience a higher level of independence and freedom - much more so than in other settings like a nursing home. When a senior has the chance to age in place, they get to live life on their own terms, inside the house that they helped make into a home. More independence means more control over their personal lives, too, which leads to increased levels of fulfillment, happiness, and personal gratification. Over time, these positive feelings can manifest into a healthier, longer life.

More independence, a healthier life, and increased comfort are only a few benefits of aging in place. You have to take into consideration the role of cost and convenience. Simply put, it's usually easier and more affordable to help seniors age in place than it is to move them into an institutional care facility. According to the US Department of Housing and Urban Development, seniors who age in the comfort of their homes can save thousands of dollars per month.

In-home care services from Always Best Care, for instance, are often less expensive than long-term solutions, which can cost upwards of six figures per year. To make matters worse, many residential care facilities are reluctant to accept long-term care insurance and other types of payment assistance.

With Always Best Care's home care services, seniors and their families have a greater level of control over their care plans. In-home care gives seniors the chance to form a bond with a trusted caregiver and also receive unmatched care that is catered to their needs. In long-term care facilities, seniors and their loved ones have much less control over their care plan and have less of a say in who provides their care.

 Elderly Care St Clair Shores, MI

Affordable Care

In-home care is a valuable resource that empowers seniors to age in place on their own terms. However, a big concern for many families and their loved ones is how much in-home care costs. If you're worried that in-home care is too expensive, you may be pleasantly surprised to learn that it is one of the most affordable senior care arrangements available.

Typically, hiring an Always Best Care in-home caregiver for a few hours a week is more affordable than sending your loved one to a long-term care facility. This is true even for seniors with more complex care needs.

At Always Best Care, we will work closely with you and your family to develop a Care Plan that not only meets your care needs, but your budget requirements, too. Once we discover the level of care that you or your senior need, we develop an in-home care plan that you can afford.

In addition to our flexible care options, families should also consider the following resources to help offset potential home care costs:

If your loved one qualifies, Medicaid may help reduce in-home care costs. Review your MI's Medicaid program laws and benefits, and make sure your senior's financial and medical needs meet Medicaid eligibility requirements.
Attendance and aid benefits through military service can cover a portion of the costs associated with in-home care for veterans and their spouses.
Many senior care services like in-home care are included in long-term care insurance options. Research different long-term care solutions to find a plan that provides coverage for senior care.
Home care can be included as part of a senior's private insurance plan. Read over your loved one's insurance policy carefully or speak with their insurance provider to determine if in-home care is covered.
Depending on the life insurance plan, you may be able to apply your policy toward long-term care. You may be able to use long-term-care coverage to help pay for in-home elderly care.
 Senior Care St Clair Shores, MI

Compassionate Care. Trusted Caregivers.

When you or your senior loved one needs assistance managing daily tasks at home, finding a qualified caregiver can be challenging. It takes a special kind of person to provide reliable care for your senior loved one. However, a caregiver's role involves more than meal preparation and medication reminders. Many seniors rely on their caregivers for companionship, too.

Our companion care services give seniors the chance to socialize in a safe environment and engage in activities at home. These important efforts boost morale and provide much-needed relief from repetitive daily routines. A one-on-one, engaging conversation can sharpen seniors' minds and give them something in which to be excited.

At Always Best Care, we only hire care providers that we would trust to care for our own loved ones. Our senior caregivers in St Clair Shores, MI understand how important it is to listen and communicate with their seniors. A seemingly small interaction, like a short hug goodbye, can make a major difference in a senior's day. Instead of battling against feelings of isolation, seniors begin to look forward to seeing their caregiver each week.

Understanding the nuances of senior care is just one of the reasons why our care providers are so great at their job.

Unlike some senior care companies, our caregivers must undergo extensive training before they work for Always Best Care. In addition, our caregivers receive ongoing training throughout the year. This training ensures that their standard of care matches up to the high standards we've come to expect. During this training, they will brush up on their communication skills, safety awareness, and symptom spotting. That way, your loved one receives the highest level of non-medical home care from day one.

Assisted Living Referral Services

While it's true that many seniors prefer to age at home, sometimes in-home care isn't the best fit. For those seniors and their families, choosing an assisted living facility makes more sense. Unfortunately, finding the optimal care facility is easier said than done in today's day and age. That's when Always Best Care's assisted living referral services begin to make a lot of sense.

Assisted living is a form of housing intended for seniors who require varying degrees of medical and personal attention. Accommodations may include single rooms, apartments, or shared living arrangements. Assisted living communities are typically designed to resemble a home-like environment and are physically constructed to encourage the independence of residents.


Respite Care St Clair Shores, MI

At assisted living communities, seniors receive help with daily activities such as bathing, dressing, and eating. They may also benefit from coordination of services with outside healthcare providers, and monitoring of resident activities to ensure their health, safety, and well-being. Caregivers who work at assisted living communities can also provide medication administration and personal care services for older adults.

Other services offered within assisted living communities can include some or all of the following:

  • Housekeeping
  • Laundry
  • Recreational Activities
  • Social Outings
  • Emergency Medical Response
  • Medication Monitoring
  • Family Visitation
  • Personal Care
 Caregivers St Clair Shores, MI

At Always Best Care, our representatives can match your senior's emotional, physical, and financial needs with viable assisted living communities nearby. Results are based on comparative data, so you can select the best choice for you or your loved one.

Always Best Care works closely with local senior living communities to gain valuable knowledge that we then use to help seniors and their loved ones make informed decisions. This information can include basic care and rent, resident availability, and services provided. Because Always Best Care is compensated by these communities, we provide senior living referral services at no extra cost to you.

Some of the most popular assisted living communities to consider in our area include the following:

  • American House Senior Living Communities
  • Cranberry Park at ShorePointe
  • Beechwood Manor Inc
  • St Mary's Nursing Home
  • Donna Kimber Assisted Living
  • Regency at St. Clair Shores
Home Care St Clair Shores, MI

For many seniors, moving into a senior living community revolves around how and when they want to make a transition to more involved care. Some seniors are more proactive about transitioning to independent living. Others choose to remain home until their care needs or other requirements are satisfied. Remember - our staff is here to help. Contact our office today to learn more about assisted living communities and how we can find a facility that exceeds your expectations.

 In-Home Care St Clair Shores, MI

Taking the First Step with Always Best Care

The first step in getting quality in-home care starts with a personal consultation with an experienced Always Best Care Care Coordinator. This initial consultation is crucial for our team to learn more about you or your elderly loved one to discover the level of care required. Topics of this consultation typically include:

A discussion of your needs and how our trained caregivers can offer assistance in the most effective way

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A draft of your care plan, which includes highly detailed notes and a framework for the care that you or your senior will receive

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Discuss payment options and help coordinate billing with your insurance provider

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Our caregivers are trained to spot changes that clients exhibit, like mental and physical decline. As your trusted senior care company, we will constantly assess and update your Care Plan to meet any new emotional, intellectual, physical, and emotional needs.

If you have never considered in-home care before, we understand that you and your family may have concerns about your Care Plan and its Care Coordinator. To help give you peace of mind, know that every team member and caregiver must undergo comprehensive training before being assigned to a Care Plan.

At the end of the day, we only hire the best of the best at Always Best Care. Whether you need home care in St Clair Shores, MI 24-hours a day or only need a respite for a couple of hours, we are here to serve you.

When you're ready, we encourage you to contact your local Always Best Care representative to set up a Care Consultation. Our Care Coordinators would be happy to meet with you in person to get to know you better, discuss your needs, and help put together a personalized Care Plan specific to your needs.

 Elderly Care St Clair Shores, MI

Latest News in St Clair Shores, MI

St. Clair Shores man fined $15K for docking boats, attorney calls ordinance unconstitutional

The city of St. Clair Shores declined to comment, citing pending litigationST. CLAIR SHORES, Mich. – A St. Clair Shores man has racked up more than $15,000 in fines for docking his boats alongside a vacant lot he owns.Now, his attorney is taking the fight to court, arguing the city ordinance behind those fines is unconstitutional.Michael Droogleever, a Marine veteran, purchased a vacant lot in St. Clair Shores four years ago with plans to build a home.In the meantime, he has been docking h...

The city of St. Clair Shores declined to comment, citing pending litigation

ST. CLAIR SHORES, Mich. – A St. Clair Shores man has racked up more than $15,000 in fines for docking his boats alongside a vacant lot he owns.

Now, his attorney is taking the fight to court, arguing the city ordinance behind those fines is unconstitutional.

Michael Droogleever, a Marine veteran, purchased a vacant lot in St. Clair Shores four years ago with plans to build a home.

In the meantime, he has been docking his two boats there — something the city says he cannot legally do.

A local ordinance states that mooring a watercraft along residential riparian property is only permitted “provided a residence exists and is occupied.”

Because no home has been built on the lot yet, the city has continued issuing fines.

“We pay our taxes. We upkeep the property. We keep the boats nice and clean. We do our part to be a good neighbor,” Droogleever said.

He says the mounting fines are now creating a financial strain that is actually delaying his ability to build the home.

“I mean this is a very constitutional, very fundamental right. So, it’s shocking that the city would say no, you can’t keep your boats there until you build a house,” Droogleever said.

Droogleever’s attorney, Nicholas Somberg, argues the ordinance strips property owners of their fundamental riparian rights — the rights tied to owning land along a body of water.

“You can say, have a fence. You can say, have one boat or two boats, but you can’t say no boats and that’s our argument,” Somberg said. “If there was a house on the land being occupied, would the tickets be written? This ordinance officer said no, it wouldn’t. So that right there created a class distinction,” Somberg said.

Somberg also argues the ordinance creates an unreasonable burden for anyone in the process of building.

“It’s not just that there is no house there, it has to be an occupied house. So, think about how ridiculous this is. You can be a wealthy person building a $5 million house in the city of St. Clair Shores, and until the house is done, you can’t have a kayak or a Sea-Doo behind your residence,” Somberg said.

He claims St. Clair Shores is the only city in Michigan with such a requirement.

A district court previously rejected Somberg’s constitutional challenge.

He has since appealed the decision and filed a motion to pause the fines until the legal proceedings are resolved — along with an injunction to stop further fines from being issued.

“This is illogical. This doesn’t make any sense, and we believe the higher courts will agree with us,” Somberg said.

Not everyone is sympathetic to Droogleever’s situation.

Several neighbors, who declined to go on camera, allege he has been running a social club from the property — inviting large groups onto his boats and causing disruptions on the street.

They provided photos appearing to show cars parked in the grass, a shuttle van and groups of people preparing to board the boats.

When asked directly about the allegations, Droogleever said the allegations are false.

“We love boating, that’s it,” he said.

Somberg also addressed the allegations.

“That has nothing to do with our argument. If the city believes he is running a charter, cite him with that,” Somberg said.

Droogleever says he is still planning to build a home on the property and is currently working with an architect.

The city of St. Clair Shores declined to comment, citing pending litigation.

Copyright 2026 by WDIV ClickOnDetroit - All rights reserved.

St. Clair Shores road project stalled after crews find gas lines inches below Playview Street

Residents say construction began in May and crews stopped showing up, leaving equipment and torn-up lawns behind on Playview Street.A road improvement project on Playview Street in St. Clair Shores has come to a halt after crews discovered natural gas service lines just inches below the road's surface. Posted 3:05 PM, Jul 24, 2026Peter MaxwellPeter Maxwell is your community reporter for Warren, Center Line, Fraser, Roseville, Eastpointe, St. Clair Shores, and the Grosse Pointes. Connect with hi...

Residents say construction began in May and crews stopped showing up, leaving equipment and torn-up lawns behind on Playview Street.

A road improvement project on Playview Street in St. Clair Shores has come to a halt after crews discovered natural gas service lines just inches below the road's surface.

Posted 3:05 PM, Jul 24, 2026

Peter Maxwell

Peter Maxwell is your community reporter for Warren, Center Line, Fraser, Roseville, Eastpointe, St. Clair Shores, and the Grosse Pointes. Connect with him at [email protected].

ST. CLAIR SHORES, Mich. (WXYZ) — A road improvement project on Playview Street in St. Clair Shores has come to a halt after crews discovered natural gas service lines just inches below the road's surface — a problem that was not identified during the design phase.

Watch Peter Maxwell's video report:

Residents say construction began in May and has since become a source of daily frustration, with dust, torn-up lawns, driveways and removed trees now a fixture of life on the block.

"It looks like hell out here," Bern Scheinpflug, who lives on Playview Street, said.

Bridget Cuneo, who also lives on Playview Street, said the sudden work stoppage caught neighbors off guard.

"They just stopped showing up and all of the equipment was left everywhere," Cuneo said. "They ripped up almost the entire block before they realized what was below."

Cuneo said the experience has worn on residents.

"It's not fun to be around and to live through and the construction's just been a nightmare," Cuneo said. "I think they would probably have a little bit more of a sense of urgency if they lived in a mess like this."

When crews removed the roadway, they found natural gas service lines running just inches below the surface. The discovery raised safety concerns and forced a pause in construction. The city said the issue was not identified during the design phase.

St. Clair Shores City Manager Dustin Lent said the city has heard residents' concerns and is working with Consumers Energy to fast-track the project.

Consumers Energy provided a statement addressing its role in the situation.

"Consumers Energy was not notified of the Playview Street roadway project before construction began and therefore did not have an opportunity to complete its normal preconstruction review and coordination with the City."After the shallow gas services were identified, Consumers Energy began developing a plan to relocate and install the affected services at an appropriate depth so the roadway project can safely proceed. That design and the necessary coordination are still underway, and we do not yet have a confirmed construction start or completion date."We are working with the City to complete the design and establish a schedule and will provide updated timing when it is available."

For some residents, the concern now extends beyond inconvenience. With no confirmed timeline for resuming or completing the project, neighbors are worried about what happens when cold weather arrives.

"I am really afraid of the winter coming in here," Kurt Wenclas, who lives on Playview Street, said.

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This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

St. Clair Shores property owner fights fines over boat docking ordinance his attorney calls unconstitutional

A 26-year Marine veteran says the city is violating his riparian rights by requiring an occupied home before he can moor boats on his waterfront propertyA St. Clair Shores waterfront property owner is facing more than $15,000 in fines for docking his boats along his own property, and his attorney is now taking the fight to a higher court, arguing the city ordinance behind the fines is unconstitutional.Posted 3:43 PM, Aug 18, 2026Peter MaxwellPeter Maxwell is your community reporter for Warren, Center Line, Fraser...

A 26-year Marine veteran says the city is violating his riparian rights by requiring an occupied home before he can moor boats on his waterfront property

A St. Clair Shores waterfront property owner is facing more than $15,000 in fines for docking his boats along his own property, and his attorney is now taking the fight to a higher court, arguing the city ordinance behind the fines is unconstitutional.

Posted 3:43 PM, Aug 18, 2026

Peter Maxwell

Peter Maxwell is your community reporter for Warren, Center Line, Fraser, Roseville, Eastpointe, St. Clair Shores, and the Grosse Pointes. Connect with him at [email protected].

ST. CLAIR SHORES, Mich. (WXYZ) — A St. Clair Shores waterfront property owner is facing more than $15,000 in fines for docking his boats along his own property, and his attorney is now taking the fight to a higher court, arguing the city ordinance behind the fines is unconstitutional.

Watch Peter Maxwell's video report:

Michael Droogleever owns the land and the boats, but the city of St. Clair Shores says that does not give him the right to dock his boats where he chooses. The fines have accumulated at $500 per day.

"I own it. I pay lots of property taxes on it. I am pretty sure I can access the water," Droogleever said.

For many people who own waterfront property in St. Clair Shores, having a boat out back is part of the lifestyle. But Droogleever says the mounting fines have left him frustrated.

"I am a little shocked that it just keeps going and going and going. Especially since we're going through the court system here like, ' Hey, I think there's a misunderstanding here; we can work this out. Why does this have to keep on happening?" Droogleever said.

The reason the fines keep accumulating comes down to what is missing from his property: a house. The St. Clair Shores ordinance states that the floating or mooring of a watercraft along residential riparian property is permitted "provided a residence exists and is occupied."

Droogleever's attorney, Nicholas Somberg, argues the ordinance strips property owners of their riparian rights.

"What the city is saying is because you not only have a house here, you can have a house as big as the one behind you in that video. If you don't actively live in it. If it's your second home, if you're building a home. If you don't have an occupied home, you can't have a kayak in your backyard. You can't have a single boat at all, stripping them of their riparian rights," Somberg said.

The central legal question is whether St. Clair Shores can require a home to be occupied before a property owner can moor boats on the property.

"You can't take somebody's right to have a boat entirely away from them simply because they don't have an occupied dwelling," Somberg said. "In the state of Michigan you have absolute rights to have when you own a piece of land that abuts water to use that water and to keep boats on that water."

Somberg says Droogleever is not renting out slips, operating a marina, or running a charter business from his property. However, a neighbor who declined to be identified, citing fear of retaliation, offered a different perspective.

"They were bringing a party bus on and off the property, trucking people in and out," the neighbor said. "If he wants to build a house here and be a neighbor like we all here, I have no complaints against it, but the marina atmosphere isn't why we are here. I live here."

A district court has already denied Droogleever's constitutional motion to dismiss, but Somberg says that outcome was expected.

"We intend to appeal this case all the way up to essentially get the law overturned because the law is unconstitutional," Somberg said.

The city of St. Clair Shores declined to comment, saying it does not comment on ongoing litigation.

Droogleever says he hopes to break ground on the property soon.

"We are looking forward to building our forever home here very, very soon," Droogleever said.

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This story was reported on-air by a journalist and has been converted to this platform with the assistance of AI. Our editorial team verifies all reporting on all platforms for fairness and accuracy.

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