Airbnb Tenant Forced To Leave After 575 Days — And Now She's Getting Sued For $58,000 In Unpaid Rent
It's allegedly not the first rental property she's squatted in.
Florian Schmidinger via Unsplash / sdx15 via Shutterstock / Ibn Hasan via Canva We have heard so many crazy Airbnb stories that many of us are afraid to be a landlord or a tenant. But I can't recall any squatter who has stayed in a location without paying longer than one woman, Elizabeth Hirschorn, who stayed at a luxury house in Los Angeles for 575 days until the police finally forced her out.
It started when the woman booked a long-term stay at a property in Ocean City that had a 360-degree view. The property's owner, Dr. Sasha Jovanovic, rented the home to her for what was supposed to be from September of 2021 to the spring of 2022 for a cost of $20,000. When the time to vacate in April came up, Hirschorn refused to leave the home or pay any additional money to stay.
The Airbnb tenant refused to leave the property without the landlord giving her a relocation fee of $100,000.
Unfortunately for Jovanovic, his efforts to evict her were fruitless, despite enlisting the city and an attorney's help. The unwelcome guest seemingly already had a sinister plan in place that would allow her to stay on the premises for as long as she wanted and keep the homeowner's hands tied.
According to Hirschorn's lawyer, Colin Walshok, she was not legally responsible for paying rent because the property wasn't properly zoned for renting. “The landlord broke the law and tried to make money by renting out an illegal bootleg unit,” Walshok told the Los Angeles Times.
Hirschorn apparently preemptively reached out to the Department of Buildings and Safety, and they came up with some code violations found on the property. A shower that had been installed was not permitted, and Jovanovic never actually got it approved for occupancy. That was music to the scamming squatter's ears, and she immediately contacted the Housing Investigator for the City of Los Angeles, who said Jovanovic couldn't start the eviction process until he fixed the violations.
The tenant then refused to grant the owner access to make the repairs, so he could evict her.
Because he couldn't enter his own home, the doctor was unable to obtain the necessary permits or make the fixes that were needed. In addition, the woman had occupied the house for more than six months and qualified for protection under the Just Cause Ordinance, which says that if a landlord doesn't have a legal reason to evict, they have to foot the bill for the tenant's relocation.
Here's the thing: Jocanovic offered her several options for relocation, including giving her the option to stay in his own house while he made the repairs, but she refused. According to the Daily Mail, the judge did grant in her favor that Javonich did not have legal cause to evict her, and that left the warring landlord and tenant at a stalemate.
Things changed about a month later, according to the Los Angeles Times. On November 3, 2023, Javonich noticed a moving van and two strangers walking on his property. Not knowing if the strangers had ill intent or not, he called the police, and once they arrived, it was confirmed that Hirschorn was indeed moving out. The police remained on the property until the van was fully packed, and then they escorted the squatting tenant off the property, allowing Jocanovic the opportunity to quickly change the locks.
In a statement to the outlet, Jocanovic said, “I’m a little overwhelmed, but I finally have my home back. I had such a peaceful weekend once she left.”
The tenant has asserted that she intends to return to the property and that the landlord violated her rights by changing the locks.
Here's where things get tricky again. According to Jovanovic's attorney, Sebastian Rucci, once a tenant "abandons" a property, the "unlawful detainer" is dismissed, meaning the landlord can take possession again. Rucci conveyed that to Hirschhorn’s attorney, Amanda Seward.
The Times reported that Seward promptly responded in an email, writing, “Ms. Hirschhorn had discussed with me concern over the constant harassment and surveillance, and also the desire to get the things repaired that needed to be repaired. Subject to my discussions with Ms. Hirschhorn, please be advised that you have no authority to change the locks or to assume abandonment of the unit,” Seward wrote. “Further, you have violated the law by entering without permission and changing the locks.”
In response, Jovanovic and his attorney said they plan to sue Hirschhorn for the $58,000 they say she owes in unpaid rent. In the meantime, Hirschhorn seems to have landed on her feet, regardless of the bad press and her reputation as the tenant from the place that isn't heaven. The Daily Mail reported that she has secured a luxury apartment in downtown LA for $3,600 a month. The Daily Mail also noted, "It is unclear how Hirschhorn, whose lengthy history of legal battles includes an 18-month fight with AMEX over an unpaid $19,000 bill, passed the credit check."
Even Javonovic weighed in, telling the outlet, "I can't believe she was able to rent in LA after being exposed as a serial rent scammer. The real problem in US society is that you can commit wrongdoing, but if you don't go to jail, you can just move on to the next one."
Airbnbs and other rental properties have proved risky for owners and tenants alike.
Dragging a person who has taken over your property out of the home and tossing their belongings in the street could sound very tempting if you happen to be a frustrated homeowner, but that will just get you into hot water. Airbnb offers host liability coverage, but when it comes to people who overstay their welcome, landlords are left to handle it on their own.
Understanding the rules, codes, and ordinances in your local area is important in making sure you are protected and foreseeing any loopholes that an otherwise qualified tenant might be trying to use in order to commandeer your home. Foresight is the best way to guard against incidents like this, but if you choose to be a host, understand the risks involved.
NyRee Ausler is a writer from Seattle, Washington. She covers lifestyle, relationships, and human-interest stories that readers can relate to and that bring social issues to the forefront for discussion.
