HGTV’s Nicole Curtis Subtly Reacts to City of Detroit’s Lawsuit Against Her

Paige Strout July 28, 2026, 3:15 pm

Nicole Curtis on Rehab Addict — Courtesy of HGTV

What To Know

Nicole Curtis and her company, Detroit Renovations, are being sued by the city of Detroit.
The lawsuit claims the company has failed to renovate and maintain a property in its ownership, which has been declared a “public nuisance.”
Curtis seemingly addressed the legal drama via social media.

Several months after HGTV pulled the plug on Rehab Addict, the show’s host, Nicole Curtis, has found herself in some legal trouble.

According to legal documents published by The Detroit Free Press, Curtis is being sued by the city of Detroit, Michigan, over her company’s alleged failure to renovate and maintain a house in its ownership. Per the lawsuit, filed on Wednesday, July 22, the property has been deemed a “public nuisance” since 2021, when a court order required its renovation.

The lawsuit states that Curtis’ company, Detroit Renovations, acquired the property in 2021. “Within the Order, the Court also declared the property ‘a nuisance and a danger to the health, safety and welfare of the community,’ and compelled Defendant Detroit Renovations to ‘abate the nuisance by renovation of,’” the lawsuit states, claiming that the company has not taken any “subsequent action” to renovate the property over the past five years.

The city’s Buildings Safety Engineering and Environmental Department issued correction orders in September 2022, November 2023, and April 2026 due to code violations. The lawsuit claims Curtis’ company failed to comply with the 25 total violation tickets, and states the company owes $4,200 in fines and $1,331 in inspection and registration fees.

HGTV

“As ‘President’ and managing member of the Limited Liability Corporation that owns the Subject Property, Defendant Curtis controls the corporate activities of Defendant Detroit Renovations and, therefore, is personally liable for said public nuisances at the Subject Property,” the lawsuit alleges.

Nicole Curtis Shares Big Life Update 5 Months After 'Rehab Addict' Cancellation

Curtis subtly addressed the lawsuit in a since-expired Instagram Story on Saturday, July 25, per EntertainmentNow. “Gonna be a fun week in #Detroit,” she reportedly captioned a picture featuring several property violation notices. “There’s a ticket in here for missing window hardware (P.S. There’s no window). Tax dollars at work.”

She once again poked fun at the legal drama in another Instagram Story post on Sunday, July 26. “All the drama they create and I’m just over here walking Fred,” she captioned a photo of herself holding what looked like a pet hamster in front of the building at the center of the lawsuit.

Curtis has appeared on several HGTV shows over the years, but is best known for hosting her flagship series, Rehab Addict, which premiered in 2010. The same day the show returned for its ninth season in February, the show was canceled, and Curtis was fired by the network after footage of her using a racial slur during filming was leaked online.

Nicole Curtis' Instagram Story, July 26, 2026.

Courtesy of Nicole Curtis/Instagram

Curtis apologized in a statement to TMZ at the time, saying, “I want to be clear: The word in question is wrong and not part of my vocabulary and never has been, and I apologize to everyone.” In a February 17 Instagram post, Curtis claimed that someone with access to the footage demanded money from her, and released the video after she refused to pay.