Woman's home damaged by abandoned house fire next door

Shamita McCoy says for two years she called the city of Detroit to get the abandoned home on Woodingham demolished.

"I called the (Detroit) Land Bank and city and no one is saying anything," said Shamira McCoy."The land bank was telling me they didn't have funds to tear the house down."

McCoy says she was told the house was on the list for demolition.

The house was not only an eyesore for the single mom but a safety issue, so she took her own money and boarded up the openings.

Earlier this month the house caught on fire and McCoy says it caused damage to her own property and she doesn't have insurance.

"The fire reached out here and melted this part up here," said McCoy. "All of this is damaged and it could have been prevented if the city had done what it was supposed to do."

City officials say they have taken down more than 5,000 land bank blighted structures.

But this property on Woodingham is privately owned and is outside of the federally designated areas where the city has access to demolition funds.

Due to the recent fire, the city can access demolition funds through the Fire Insurance Escrow Fund, which places it at the top of the list for demolition.

McCoy has established a GoFundMe account to help her get her property fixed, but she believes it still does not erase responsibility from the city.

"I want them to tear it down," said McCoy. "I want them to compensate me."

If you would like to donate to help McCoy with her repairs. Click on this link to donate.