An Ohio man is fighting to keep the street he accidentally bought, claiming the city is trying to take it back by force and won’t return his calls.
Jason Fauntleroy wanted to build himself a home on a lot in Trenton — which is just north of Cincinnati and southeast of Dayton — so purchased what he believed to be a plot of land for $5,000 from a Butler County Sheriff’s Office auction in 2021.
In reality, he had actually purchased the entire street of Bloomfield Court.
Three years later, the city began the process of reclaiming the street through the use of eminent domain.
Under Ohio state law, owners whose properties are being taken by eminent domain are entitled to “just compensation” for their loss.
The term “just compensation,” according to Ohio Attorney General Dave Yost, is defined as the “fair market value” of a piece of property.
While Fauntleroy is absolutely legally entitled to be paid for his street, he believes the city is trying to stiff him.
He told WCPO 9 that an assessment by the city to determine his street’s value only considered his lot, and left the rest of the land out of the calculation.
Fauntleroy tried to bring the alleged oversight to the city’s attention, but claims the city is dodging him.
“They shut me out,” Fauntleroy told WCPO. “They blocked my calls. It’s hard to even get through anybody.”
Marco Nichols, Trenton’s City Manager, told the broadcaster that the city could not comment on the findings of the assessment.
When reporters at WCPO asked Nichols why the entire street wasn’t considered in the city’s assessment, he said he wasn’t sure why Fauntleroy was allowed to buy an entire street in the first place.
“I’m not sure how that occurs other than it was a private drive that was created through a homeowner’s association,” Nichols said. “The homeowner’s association was responsible for maintaining that property and upkeeping it.”
The purchase is even more bizarre given Fauntleroy’s street is not a barren road with only his house on it, with a total of five properties on the road. As the street is privately owned, Fauntleroy is responsible for maintaining the road not just for himself, but for the other homeowners living on the street.
Maintenance concerns are reportedly driving the city’s eminent domain land grab, according to Nichols. He said the city wants to take the private drive and turn it public so the city can maintain the street. It’s unclear if there were ever any discussions between the city and Butler County officials about obtaining the street directly rather than sending it to auction.
Fauntleroy doesn’t appear to have any issues with the city’s desire to own the street, he just wants what he’s owed.
“Treat people fair; do honest work,” Fauntleroy said. “Don’t just take advantage of someone because they don’t have the means of getting an attorney.”
