A common complaint in Detroit, MI is that the city is too slow to demolish derelict homes that become magnets for drug deals, arson and other crimes.

So it came as a shock to Eric Roslonski when the city, without notice, knocked down a home he had just spent more than $30,000 improving.

"I think they tore down the wrong house," Roslonski said Monday. "Maybe someone screwed up."

Roslonski, 26, of Rochester Hills, filed a federal lawsuit against the city Monday, seeking damages for the city's 2006 demolition of 13405 Flanders on Detroit's east side, which Roslonski bought for $7,000 in 2005.

Roslonski, represented by Bloomfield Hills attorney Jeffrey Dworin, alleges the city illegally trespassed and violated his civil rights.

"I went in there and spent some thirty odd thousand dollars to completely replace the whole thing," he said. "I changed the windows, roofing, carpet, kitchen, bathroom."

While he was waiting to rent or sell the home, someone broke in and stole the water heater and some other items, said Roslonski, a business student at Oakland Community College. Roslonski said he couldn't believe it when he drove to the home on Flanders one day and couldn't find it.

"I drove up and down the street three times -- where is my house?" he said.

When Roslonski bought the house, it had been awaiting demolition for three years but was supposed to be removed from the list as a result of the purchase, the lawsuit alleges.

The case is assigned to U.S. District Judge Sean F. Cox.