BROOKLYN, New York – A Brooklyn man has reportedly lost his home in an auction due to an unpaid water bill totaling approximately USD $5,000, according to a report by ABC7 Eyewitness News.

The man, identified as Filmore Brown, had reportedly purchased the home in 1996 and successfully paid off the mortgage by 2019.

He told ABC7 that he had worked seven days a week for over two decades to achieve homeownership.

Brown said he discovered the property had been sold without his knowledge when strangers attempted to gain access to the premises one night.

“I don’t want anybody to go through what I’m going through,” Brown said in an interview. “I cannot eat, I cannot drink, and I cannot sleep.”

Brown, who has a Jamaican accent, told the outlet that he would have paid the water bill had he known about it.

According to ABC7, the city can take action against property owners with significant unpaid taxes or water bills, by selling the debts to a trust or group of investors. These investors then attempt to collect the money, often with interest. If the debts remain unpaid, the property can go into foreclosure and be auctioned off.

Following news of Brown’s situation, the New York City Public Advocate, along with local and state lawmakers, are reportedly rallying in his support.