'Detroit Castle' stays standing as city removes lawsuit against property owner

DETROIT (FOX 2) - A property owner on Detroit's east side gets to keep his castle he’s been building for years, with a little push from social media.

What they're saying:

Charles Brooks says he felt commissioned by God to build up the city, block by block, but when he felt his mission was being threatened, he was grateful for the unexpected help he received.

Detroit Police Chief Todd Bettison delivered a message Brooks longed to hear: the lawsuit against his property on Chalmers Street is no more.

"It’s been one of the roughest two weeks of my life. I give great honor today, and this couldn’t have happened on a better day," Brooks said. "Today we celebrate my deceased son’s birthday, his heavenly birthday."

The backstory:

He says he's been working on this property, known as the ‘Detroit Castle’, for years, even when he suffered a stroke in 2024 and was set back for a while.

However, things took a turn a few weeks ago when Brooks learned that he was being sued by the city for a blighted home and debris on the property.

The city responded in the comments, saying, "The landbank has not taken possession of your property."

However, the video went viral, getting 150,000 views, and dozens of people showed up ready to help out and clean up.

"We couldn’t have done this without a team. Everybody came and unified when they found out what the devil meant for evil, God turned it around for good," Brooks said.

Over the weekend, the team included Chief Bettison.

"You would say, 'Well, how did you get involved, Chief?' But when this went viral, we had so many folks coming over here. This is remarkable. He’s actually called the mayor of the eastside," Bettison said.

What's next:

He later said he believes the landbank and the attorneys are confident that Brooks will finish the job.

No one from the landbank was at the event. FOX 2 reached out to them requesting an interview and comment, and we’re waiting to hear back.