Reality-TV house rehabber Nicole Curtis says the city of Minneapolis demanded a $200,000 deposit before it would issue a building permit for her to renovate a disputed home, but the city said Wednesday that's not true.
Minneapolis disputes 'Rehab Addict' star's account of building permit cost
City says it did not ask her to make a $200K deposit.
March 30, 2017 at 2:44PM
The city of Minneapolis is suing the star of the HGTV show "Rehab Addict" and asking the court to take back the dilapidated Jordan neighborhood home she bought from the city for $2 in 2012.
Curtis bought the home under a contract that required her to "substantially complete construction" of improvements on the house within a year of the sale, along with delivering regular progress reports to the city.
The city's attorneys allege in a lawsuit that Curtis' firm, Detroit Renovations, "failed to redevelop the property," pay property taxes or maintain insurance on the house.
On Facebook, Curtis fired back last week, saying "there is no financial gain for me to complete 1522 Hillside, but I took the house on so that it would not be demolished."
She added that, "We applied for a building permit and were told a 200k deposit would be required. Ever heard of that? Me neither. So there the project had sat."
But in a statement Wednesday, the city said no such deposit was required.
"Despite her assertion, the City of Minneapolis never required a $200,000 deposit from Nicole Curtis or Detroit Renovations before issuing any permit for construction at 1522 Hillside Av.," the statement said.
Curtis' lawyers said in court filings that she admits the home has not been rehabbed but she "was prevented and/or delayed from completing performance [of the contract's terms] due to the acts of Plaintiff and the acts of third parties."
Court filings make no mention of the $200,000 deposit Curtis referred to. Curtis' attorney in the case, Erin Hoffman of Faegre Baker Daniels, has not responded to calls and e-mails seeking comment.
Adam Belz • 612-673-4405 Twitter: @adambelz
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