You must have seen Alison Victoria on HGTV’s Windy City Rehab, right? Well, on the surface, aka on-screen, everything was looking super good with dramatic home makeovers in this show, but was that the case, though? You see, off camera, there have been many issues reported, and there are many unhappy homeowners complaining about it all. So much so that this whole thing has become a serious legal matter, which we now know as the Alison Victoria Lawsuit. If you didn’t get the time to catch up with this case, then just keep on reading the important details we have for you.
What Was Windy City Rehab All About?
The show originated in 2019 on HGTV in the Windy City. Upon the designs lay Alison Victoria, from frame plans to finishes. Donovan Eckhardt controlled the glitter; construction and budgets represented his domain. On paper, it was the perfect complement: Alison did style, Donovan did structure. The truth, however, was quite different.
Trouble Starts: Construction Issues in 2019
Chicago City stopped the work on its projects in 2019. As a result, the contractor’s license of Donovan was suspended for 45 days.
The violations included:
- Building garages and decks without permits.
- Ripping up floors without proper safety barriers.
- Working on at least 11 properties without approved permits.
Subcontractors had carried out work without seeking the principal engineer’s approval, so to speak. The City treated him with legal liability because his name appeared on the license.
Homeowners File Lawsuits: 2019-2020
Problems notwithstanding, after city violations, even homeowners who purchased properties renovated in the show took things to court.
- December 2019: Anna and James Morrissey: The couple bought a house valued at 1.36 million dollars and discovered major defects at once: water leakage from the ceiling, doors that were not straight, deteriorated mortar, and roof problems.
- April 2020: Shane Jones and Samantha Mostaccio: These two people purchased a house that cost them $1.3 million, which was once featured in an episode called House of Horrors. Their place suffered from water damage, had cracked concrete, and the garage was in a state of over $100,000 worth of repairs.
Even though Alison mainly handled design, she was pulled into the lawsuits because she co-owned the business with Donovan.
Alison and Donovan’s Falling Out in 2020
By Season 2, their partnership was breaking down. Alison accused Donovan of:
- Paying his own companies from their shared budget.
- Approving invoices for unfinished work.
She bluntly made it clear, “The money was in your pocket, and I didn’t benefit in any way.” That was the point where their collaboration terminated. Alison went as far as selling shared properties just to have a clean break with Donovan and be able to progress.
Donovan’s Lawsuit Against HGTV in 2021
In 2021 decided to take legal action, not against Alison, but against the holding company that runs HGTV (Discovery) and Big Table Media. According to him, the program was responsible for making him the bad guy without his consent, which led to his suffering and the smear of his good name.
Though, yes, the case didn’t succeed. A judge dismissed it, leaving Donovan without compensation.
More Lawsuits and Financial Issues
In addition to all other things, a subcontractor filed a lawsuit against Donovan, requesting more than $100,000 for labor that was not paid. The legal issues were going on and on with violations from the city, lawsuits from homeowners, and disputes with contractors.
What Happened Afterward?
Alison was completely different from Donovan. In her later interviews (2023-2024), she kept silent about him, and not even a single reference to his name appeared.
After some time, she left Chicago and went to Vegas, where she began a new show, Sin City Rehab, in 2024. While Donovan continued with his professional life in the construction sector, he was no longer working with Alison.
