Buckle up, this is a crazy story! Rochanne Douglas says she thought she was doing the right thing when she accepted a 32-day Airbnb reservation from a woman named Shadija Romero back in February this year.
Instead, she opened the door to what she now describes as a “ten-month nightmare”,; one that has left her paying thousands in legal fees while a stranger lives inside her Northeast D.C. home rent-free.
Douglas reached out to 7News DC after months of failed attempts to remove Romero, whom she accuses of exploiting D.C.’s notoriously tenant-friendly housing laws.
A Fire Story That Wasn’t True
According to Douglas, Romero claimed her prior apartment had caught fire, and she needed a temporary place to stay while repairs were underway.
But court records reviewed by 7News tell a different story: Romero was being evicted, reportedly owing nearly $50,000 in unpaid rent after paying only one month’s rent over the course of a year.
“Had I known the truth, I never would have accepted the reservation,” Douglas said.
From Guest to ‘Unauthorized Occupant’
What began as a month-long stay has now stretched into almost a year. Douglas has filed police reports, eviction notices, motions, and even an emergency order. She posted an official notice on the property declaring Romero an “unauthorized occupant,” but the occupant covered the sign with a blanket.
Every attempt by Douglas to approach her own property, she says, is met with Romero calling police and making false claims against her.
Meanwhile, Romero has been seen on social media vacationing in Jamaica, attending events, and promoting her nonprofit, raising even more frustration among neighbors and observers.
A Judge, a Signed Document… and Still No Resolution
In November, exhausted and financially strained, Douglas offered Romero cash to leave. In return, Romero signed a document acknowledging she was not a tenant.
But she still refused to move out.
Now Douglas is waiting for a December court hearing she hopes will finally bring closure.
A National Trend
This case is part of a growing pattern in cities with strong tenant protections, where short-term rental hosts can quickly find themselves trapped in long, expensive battles once a stay exceeds 30 days, even through platforms like Airbnb.
Legal experts say the line between “guest” and “tenant” can shift fast.
“When someone is physically inside a property and refuses to leave, the homeowner’s rights become incredibly limited,” one D.C. housing attorney has said. “And the court process can drag on for months.”
The Human Toll
Douglas says the ordeal has drained her savings, strained her mental health, and made her afraid to return to her own home.
“It’s surreal,” she said. “You pay the mortgage. You pay the utilities. And you watch a stranger live their life online while you’re standing outside your own door.”
As D.C. courts prepare to take up the emergency order, Douglas hopes her fight sparks a broader conversation about closing legal loopholes that leave homeowners vulnerable.
“I’m not the only one,” she said. “But I want to be the last.”
