Ohio Man Accidentally Bought An Entire Street For $5k, Now The City Wants To Take It Back Through Eminent Domain!

Jason Fauntleroy thought he’d snagged a great deal when he purchased a vacant lot in Trenton, Ohio, for $5,000 from the Butler County Sheriff’s Office auction three years ago.



Yet he quickly realized he got more than he bargained for.



He only planned to use the lot to build himself a home, but the price included the entire street, where several other homes are located.



Now, the city of Trenton is trying to reclaim the street through eminent domain. Fauntleroy told WCPO 9 News he’s not being offered what he deserves.



“They shut me out,” Fauntleroy said of his interactions with the city. “They blocked my calls. It’s hard to even get through to anybody. It’s been a nightmare.”



When the city began the process of reclaiming the land, Fauntleroy says they only assessed the value of the lot — not the entire street.



“I’m not sure how that [Fauntleroy’s ownership of the street] occurs other than it was a private drive that was created through a homeowner’s association,” Trenton City Manager Marcos Nichols told WCPO News.



“The homeowner’s association was responsible for maintaining that property and upkeeping it.”



When asked why only a portion of the lot was considered for the appraisal value, Nichols replied, “I cannot speak to the appraised value.”



According to Nichols, the city plans to convert the private drive — which is the only way to access several homes on the street — into a publicly maintained roadway.



Is this even legal?



Eminent domain does allow the government to seize private property for public use, but the law also requires just compensation for the property owner. The definition of “just compensation” is often subject to dispute.


Source: @wcpo9_news