The long-running dispute between Katy Perry and Montecito homeowner Carl Westcott has escalated once again, sparking renewed concern about how older Americans are protected in major real estate deals. What began as a luxury home purchase has turned into an emotional, multimillion-dollar legal fight—one that now sits at the center of a growing call for national reform.

According to newly filed court documents, Perry is seeking more than $4.7 million in damages, including what she describes as lost rental income and necessary repairs to the property. Westcott, however, insists the pop star has not yet paid the full $15 million purchase price and still owes roughly $6 million. The 1930s estate, purchased by Perry and Orlando Bloom in July 2020, has become the focus of a painful battle shaped by Westcott’s declining health.

The conflict intensified when Westcott—an Army veteran and founder of 1-800-Flowers—attempted to reverse the sale shortly after signing. He argued that he had been heavily medicated following back surgery and lacked the mental capacity to enter the agreement. Already diagnosed with Huntington’s disease, he soon became bedridden, and his family shared emotional updates from his hospice care. Despite their efforts, the court ultimately ruled that he could not prove diminished capacity at the time of the sale.

As the case captured national attention, elder-rights advocates proposed the PERRY Act, a bill designed to prevent similar situations. The legislation would introduce a 72-hour cooling-off period for real estate transactions involving adults over 75, giving vulnerable seniors time to reconsider major financial decisions. While its future remains uncertain, the act represents a wider push to protect aging Americans from potential exploitation.

In many ways, the high-profile dispute has sparked a conversation far larger than the mansion at its center—a conversation about dignity, fairness, and safeguarding the elderly in an increasingly complex real estate market.