He accidentally bought an entire street for $5,000. The city's response made it a nightmare.

In 2021, Jason Fauntleroy thought he was making a straightforward investment, placing a $5,000 bid at a sheriff's auction for a vacant plot of land in Trenton, Ohio. But when the deed was finalized, he discovered he had purchased much more than he bargained for: the lot, and the entire private road it was attached to, Bloomfield Court.

The bizarre mix-up, which even Trenton's City Manager Marcos Nichols admitted he couldn't fully explain, instantly made Fauntleroy the owner of a street lined with five homes and responsible for its maintenance. What began as a simple land purchase soon spiraled into a multi-year battle with the city, as reported by WCPO 9.

After three years, the city of Trenton decided it wanted the street and moved to seize it through eminent domain, a process that allows the government to take private property for public use. But according to Fauntleroy, their offer was anything but fair. He claims the city’s appraisal only valued the small, vacant plot, completely ignoring the street he legally owns.

Aerial view of a neighborhoodCanva

"They shut me out. They blocked my calls. It’s hard to even get through anybody," Fauntleroy told WCPO 9, describing the experience as a "nightmare."

When pressed about the property's valuation, City Manager Nichols was evasive, saying only, "I cannot speak to the appraised value." The city maintains its goal is to convert Bloomfield Court into a public road that it can maintain, but Fauntleroy believes he is being taken advantage of because of the strange circumstances.

The story has sparked outrage online, with many viewers of the WCPO 9 report siding with Fauntleroy. "Wait, so the city sold him this land, then they wanted to use eminent domain to take it from him?" one user, @roselynn816, commented.

Another, @DonJulio4649, noted the city official's demeanor in the news report: "When the man said he gets his calls blocked by the city officials, I thought, 'No way.' Until they showed the city dude, and I totally believe it. He looks toxic af and pissed off."

Gif of person dressed in panda costume destroying office

The situation has left Fauntleroy feeling powerless but determined to fight for what he believes is right. "Treat people fair; do honest work," he said. "Don’t just take advantage of someone because they don’t have the means of getting an attorney."

This article originally appeared earlier this year. It has been updated.