Katy Perry's housing battles with California homeowners have inspired change but not in the way you might think. The pop star's legal contention with an elderly homeowner has made way to a national legislative push to slow down the sales of homes owned by elderly homeowners.
Alongside Perry's partner and "Peppa Pig" co-star/voice actor, Orlando Bloom, the couple purchased a $15 million eight-bedroom, 11-bathroom Santa Barbara mansion from Carl Westcott, the 84-year-old founder of 1-800-Flowers and husband of Kameron Wescott of "The Real Housewives of Dallas" fame. Westcott is contesting the sale of his home to Bloom and Perry because he alleged that he could not consent to the sale. He said that he was suffering from mental decline and had just had major surgery and was under the use of opiates when he told the home to Perry, Semafor reported.
Following the sale and the legal dispute, Westcott's family has proposed the Protecting Elder Realty for Retirement Years Act, or for short, the Katy PERRY Act. On a website for the bill, it states that it would address the "risks of elder financial abuse, especially as it relates to property and real estate sales and transfers." It stipulates that after the sale of a personal residence, there is a "72-hour cool-down period" that allows the person over 75 to "rescind the agreement without penalty."
The bill apparently has supporters from both sides of the political aisle and local and state legislatures across the country who are said to be introducing versions of the bill soon.
