Los Angeles Airbnb renter leaves property after 570 days, lawsuits: report

The saga of an Airbnb guest turned unwelcome resident in a tony Los Angeles neighborhood appears to have reached an end Friday.

Elizabeth Hirschhorn has moved out of the Brentwood home of Sascha Jovanovic after spending 570 days in an accessory dwelling unit, according to the Los Angeles Times.

Jovanovic was being interviewed for a documentary about the multi-year dispute when three men, who turned out to be movers, entered the unit. Jovanovic called police when the men refused to identify the reason for them entering his property.

Hirschhorn was escorted off of the property once her belongings were packed, according to the Times. Jovanovic and his attorney confirmed that the unit was vacated and changed the locks within an hour.

Jovanovic's lawyer told the Times that he would drop the unlawful detainer lawsuit but pursue damages.

Hirschhorn's lawyers said that Jovanovic should not assume that Hirschhorn has left for good in an email exchange between council reviewed by the Times.

“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,” Hirschhorn's lawyer wrote. “Further, you have violated the law by entering without permission and changing the locks.”

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When did the trouble between Jovanovic and Hirschhorn begin?

Jovanovic had been renting the guesthouse, located on his property, as an Airbnb since 2019.

The problems began for Jovanovic when he rented out his accessory dwelling unit in Los Angeles' Brentwood neighborhood to Hirschhorn. She had initially rented out the Airbnb in September 2021 as a long-term stay, and was meant to leave in March 2022. Her stay was extended to a month later in April, according to The Times, but did not move out when her stay was scheduled to end.

Since the stay began, both the host and guest have sued each other

Jovanovic and Hirschhorn have sued each other, and the LA Times said in a settlement offer Hirschhorn had refused to move unless Jovanovic pays her a relocation fee of $100,000.

Airbnb has since deleted Hirschhorn's account. It told the LA Times because the stay was extended outside the platform, it was deemed a third-party matter and does not involve the company.

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Hirschhorn won legal protections

Hirschhorn's attorney told the LA Times that because the city had never approved the unit for occupancy, and that its shower was constructed without a permit, she was not required to pay rent.

“The landlord broke the law and tried to make money by renting out an illegal bootleg unit,” her attorney, Colin Walshok, told the LA Times. “After he was caught, instead of doing the right thing, he has resorted to bullying, harassment and the filing of frivolous lawsuits containing elaborate false stories, all in attempt to cover his tracks.”

Hirschhorn has tenant protections because the unit falls under Los Angeles' Rent Stabilization Ordinance, a city investigator concluded.

She has also qualified for Los Angeles' Just Cause Ordinance, which was adopted in March and protects tenants at the end of their first lease or six months after lawful occupancy. Under the ordinance, tenant no-fault evictions also require the payment of relocation assistance.