ELYRIA, Ohio — The City of Elyria says it's not interested in buying a home that's been plagued with car crashes for decades. On Monday, Elyria City Council voted 10-1 not to purchase Dennis and Patricia Campanalie's home on Chestnut Ridge Road. For years, News 5 has been covering crashes where cars have slammed into their home.
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The Campanalies told News 5 they no longer feel safe living in the home. The couple hoped the city would consider buying the property they believe has turned dangerous over the years as the area has grown.
"I'd like to see them purchase this house because I just feel that we can't live here. I only hope there's a blessing in there, somewhere," said Campanalie when he spoke with News 5 in November 2023.
"We refuse to let them go back to that house. They're in agreement, and they're just not comfortable," said Michael Whitlock, Campanalie's son-in-law.
Elyria City Council President Victor Stewart confirmed to News 5 that buying the home is off the table for the city. Stewart said he empathizes with the family, but buying the home is not a good use of taxpayer dollars.
Stewart said the city would like to get to work on major safety upgrades at the intersection of South Abbe and Chestnut Ridge roads. Rumble strips, license plate readers, and better signage are just a few of the ideas.
"We're a little disappointed that they weren't going to entertain the fact that they wanted to keep their citizens safe," said Whitlock.
Elyria City Councilman Andrew Lipian is the only council member who voted in favor of purchasing the problem lot. "This home is going to continue to be relevant and a threat until we find a way to mitigate it, and we have not yet found that way. We need to continue the conversation, and all options need to be on the table," said Lipian.
"If we go through a regular realtor, you know you've got to have somebody show an interest in the home. It's an infamous home. The entire city knows that this house is the one that gets hit all the time; nobody is going to express interest." said Whitlock.
With the home now boarded up and debris piled up outside, the Campanalie family is not done fighting for restitution after years of living in fear.
"Dennis is 75, Patricia is 73, they're both retired, we don't want this stress on them anymore, we're going to take care of them. We're exploring all our avenues right now," said Whitlock.
