May 21, 2026
Expectant couple Alexandria Martin and Raphael Rodriguez headed off to work in Toledo, Ohio, one morning expecting to come home for a gender reveal party they planned that evening.
Then Martin’s phone started buzzing — issuing 261 security camera alerts — and she and Rodriguez were forced to come home much earlier. The city had demolished the vacant house next door. In the process, they tore off Martin and Rodriguez’s porch and damaged their fence.
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“By the time I got (home), there wasn’t anybody even here,” Rodriguez told WTOL 11. “So I was kind of tripped out. No note on the door, not a ‘sorry, we destroyed your porch.’”
The media outlet reviewed security footage that appeared to show a worker warning a crew member not to push from a certain direction because the adjacent structure could fall onto the couple’s home.
It sounds like an extreme one-off. But it isn’t.
A pattern, not an isolated incident
In late 2025, ABC 13 reported on Toledo homeowner James Brewer, whose rental property sustained wall damage during a city demolition. The city’s response to Brewer was the same as it was to Martin and Rodriguez, claiming immunity under state law.
According to WTOL 11, Toledo carried out 327 demolitions from April 2025 through May 2026. In that time, residents filed 62 city service requests regarding demolition-related damage — including structural damage to their fences, siding, gutters and windows.
Among those complainants, 27 submitted formal claims for the damage — but only two were paid, without payouts totaling $20,547.
In a statement to WTOL 11, the city maintained that Ohio Revised Code Section 2744.02 shields municipalities from civil liability when employees are performing governmental work, like demolishing a nuisance property.
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It added that is “may, in appropriate circumstances, take additional steps to address or remedy damage, even where a legal obligation may not exist.”
That’s cold comfort for homeowners stuck with the repair bills. Rodriguez said he and his partner are reluctant to file a homeowners insurance claim because of deductibles, rising premiums or losing coverage altogether.
“Why should that fall out on us?” he said.
It’s a legitimate concern. According to Insure.com, a single claim can raise a homeowner’s premium anywhere from 10 to 40%, depending on the state and claim type. Another claim within a few years can push that increase to between 40% to 80%.
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What homeowners can do
Municipal governments nationwide generally claim the same legal immunity that Toledo does when performing government functions. But that protection is not universal depending on the nature of the work and the impact of that negligence.
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If you find yourself in a similar situation, experts say your first move matters enormously. Be sure to thoroughly document damage immediately with photos, video and written explanations.
Bring in a structural engineer or building inspector to assess the full scope, including anything that isn’t immediately visible. That documentation becomes your evidence if you pursue a formal complaint, insurance claim or legal action.
Consult a lawyer. If the demolition was city-managed, filing a formal claim with the municipality directly is the appropriate next step, even if — as Toledo’s record shows — the odds of recovery are slim.
Philadelphia’s Community Legal Services recommends that neighbors of any planned demolition take timestamped photographs of their home before work begins, to establish a clear baseline.
Another route is going public. Rodriguez posted footage on social media, which prompted contact from a city council member. It hasn’t produced a resolution yet, but it elevated the issue.
Sometimes the court of public opinion moves faster than a claims department.
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With a writing and editing career spanning over 15 years, Emma creates and refines content across a broad spectrum of industries, including personal finance, lifestyle, travel, health & wellness, real estate, beauty & fitness and B2B/SaaS/tech.
