North St. Paul man says county wrongly demolished wall on his property, leaving home unsafe

While knocking down a neighboring home, North St. Paul resident Gerald Sullivan says Ramsey County also knocked down a wall on his property. Since then, his home life has never been the same. (FOX 9)

Every time it rains, a homeowner in North St. Paul says he feels helpless because much of that water is ending up in his basement. But it’s a problem he says he only started dealing with after a nearby county construction project.

In the summer of 2019, Ramsey County knocked down a foreclosed home next door, but in a lawsuit filed last May, neighbor Gerald Sullivan alleges they also knocked down a wall on his property. Since then, his home life has never been the same.

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North St. Paul man says county wrongly demolished wall on his property, leaving home unsafe

Every time it rains, a homeowner in North St. Paul says he feels helpless because much of that water is ending up in his basement. But it’s a problem he says he only started dealing with after a nearby county construction project.

"I’m scared… I’m on pins and needles each day that goes by. I hear a lot of pops in the walls," Sullivan told FOX 9 on Wednesday. "I don’t know if the house is going to fall down on me or not."

For nearly about 87 years, Sullivan says the home stood the test of time until the wall was removed. Since then, things have deteriorated quickly.

"When it rains real hard you could stand right here and shake the sidewalk," Sullivan demonstrated. He also says the walls are cracking, his foundation is sinking, and the entire property is shifting; slowly but surely, mother nature is reclaiming her land.

"I’ll be on my riding lawnmower, I’ll be almost about to fall over because it done changed the terrain of my yard," Sullivan said.

It’s a constant flow of water eating away at his home of 11 years. Without the wall, he says each time it rains the home is flooded with water, and his yard becomes a puddle.

"Matter fact it done pushed my wall in my basement so far where you can see outside now between the blocks," Sullivan said.

FOX 9 reached out to Ramsey County to get their response to the situation, but they told us they have no comment because there’s an ongoing lawsuit involved.

"I got an estimate on how much the wall would cost to be replaced and it’s $35,500," Sullivan said. "I got an estimate on fixing my house, it’s $175,000 to $200,000."

But even as the home falls apart around him, Sullivan is determined to stay.

"I raised my kids here, I was planning on dying here," Sullivan said. "This is my house."