What started as a routine property auction has turned into an unexpected legal battle for
#JasonFauntleroy, an Ohio man who accidentally became the owner of an entire street in Trenton. Now, four years after purchasing what he believed was a vacant lot for $5,000 at a Butler County Sheriff's Office auction, Fauntleroy is fighting to keep the street amid claims that the city is trying to take it back through eminent domain. "When I placed my bid, I thought I was just buying a small plot of land," Fauntleroy said, according to Daily Mail. "I had no idea the sale included the street running through it, along with access to five other homes." The property deed, however, confirmed his ownership not only of the vacant lot but also of the entire length of a residential street. The street services multiple homes, and residents rely on it daily for access to their properties. The City of Trenton has since stepped in, claiming that Fauntleroy's ownership of the street was an error and that the street should remain public property. "It's highly unusual for a street to be included in a property sale at auction," said Trenton City Manager Amy Klein. "Public infrastructure like streets should not be privately owned, as they are critical for community access and services." The city has asked Fauntleroy to transfer ownership of the street back to the municipality, offering what he described as a "minimal" compensation package. "They're trying to buy it back for way less than it's worth," Fauntleroy said.
#Clique, should he willingly give it back? @WCPO