Former HGTV personality Nicole Curtis and her business, Detroit Renovations LLC, are facing a lawsuit from the City of Detroit over a neglected property. The suit, filed for civil nuisance abatement, concerns a house owned by Curtis' company since 2021 that the city deems unsafe and a danger to the community.
According to the lawsuit, the property has remained neglected despite a 2021 order mandating renovations. Allegations include failure to make necessary repairs and ongoing code violations, such as structural decay and accumulated garbage. The City of Detroit is seeking the property's rehabilitation and the payment of outstanding violation fines.
The legal action follows the cancellation of Curtis' show, 'Rehab Addict,' earlier this year after a video surfaced of her using a racial slur. In the clip, Curtis, a native of Michigan, was heard using the N-word while filming. She later claimed the utterance was a "slip of the tongue," attributing it to made-up words like "fart digger" and "fart knocker" that she uses due to her sons' preoccupation with flatulence. During an appearance on The Breakfast Club radio show in March, Curtis explained that such made-up words are common for her, as she is not scripted and improvises while filming.
Following the incident, HGTV acknowledged awareness of the offensive comment and stated that it did not align with the network's values. The series was subsequently removed from all HGTV platforms. Curtis, in a statement after the cancellation, expressed gratitude for her 15-year journey with the network and indicated her focus was on her relationships and community, rather than her career.
Curtis has stated that she does not use the N-word or other similar inflammatory terms and that she came to The Breakfast Club to have an open conversation. She also indicated that she encourages those around her not to use such phrases.