Niles sits in Berrien County in southwest Michigan, just north of the Indiana state line and a short drive from South Bend. The city is one of the oldest communities in Michigan, and its housing stock reflects that history, with many homes dating to the late 1800s and early 1900s along streets like Ferry Street and in the downtown historic district. Older homes in Niles often have detached garages with concrete slabs that have never been coated, and those slabs show the cracking and surface wear that come from decades of Michigan winters. The St. Joseph River runs through the city, and the rolling terrain and glacial soil deposits that characterize the area can contribute to slab movement and cracking over time.