Stevie Wonder Sues to Evict Woman Who's Lived Rent-Free in His Hollywood Hills Home Since 1988

A decades-old handshake deal just landed in court. Stevie Wonder filed an unlawful detainer lawsuit Thursday against Carmen Efferson, who has lived rent-free in his three-bedroom Hollywood Hills home since 1988 under an oral agreement, according to Billboard. The case started this summer when Wonder’s representatives tried three times in July to inspect the property for an insurance renewal. Efferson refused entry and sent his attorney an email demanding no further contact, and Wonder claims that refusal caused the home’s insurance to lapse.

The lawsuit asks for Efferson’s removal and $600 in damages. Legal notices warning of eviction reportedly went unanswered before the Thursday filing. The history between the two goes back to the 1980s: Efferson was credited as a producer on Wonder’s 1988“Get It”music video with Michael Jackson, and a tabloid report that year claimed the pair were engaged. They never married, and the arrangement stayed private for nearly four decades.

The story raises big questions about oral agreements, tenant rights after 38 years, and what happens when insurance and old favors collide. Do you think a 38-year rent-free arrangement should end with a buyout, a moving truck, or something in between? Sound off in the comments.