Millionaire Barbra Streisand’s Stepson Lives in a Tiny Motel & Scavenged Through Tr@sh
Jess Brolin, born into a family of accomplished entertainers, once enjoyed the security of a trust fund but eventually lost it all. Choosing to carve his own path, he distanced himself from his affluent relatives to live life on his own terms. While his circumstances have recently improved, they remain a far cry from his family’s wealth.
Jess Brolin, the son of actor James Brolin, once had financial stability through an inheritance left by his late mother. But after his funds ran out, he lost his home and spent years without permanent shelter, sometimes sleeping in his truck or out in the open.
Meanwhile, his father, James, and stepmother, Barbra Streisand, reside in a multimillion-dollar Malibu estate. Jess’s financial troubles can be traced back to a turning point in his life — the loss of his mother decades ago and the depletion of his six-figure inheritance.
Jess Brolin’s Early Life and Financial Decline
Jess was born on February 7, 1972, to actor James Brolin and wildlife conservationist Jane Cameron Agee. His parents had a turbulent marriage, eventually divorcing when Jess was around 12 years old.
While his father built a successful Hollywood career, his mother dedicated herself to rescuing and raising wild animals on her ranch. Tragically, Jane died in a car accident in 1995, leaving Jess with a six-figure trust fund.
For years, the inheritance provided him with financial security, allowing him to live independently. However, by 2011, the funds had run out, and he was evicted from his $824-a-month apartment. Without a financial safety net, he was left without stable housing, setting the stage for a long period of instability.
Living on the Streets: Homelessness and Dumpster Diving
After losing his apartment in 2011, Jess struggled to find stable housing. At first, he lived in his old Toyota truck, but as his circumstances worsened, he was forced to sleep in public spaces. By 2014, troubling images surfaced showing him rummaging through trash bins for food in Ojai, California.
In the photos, he appeared visibly overweight and was seen collecting discarded food. A source close to Jess revealed that he often slept behind shops or on public benches, relying on whatever shelter he could find.
“Looking at him, you wouldn’t realize he is part of one of the biggest, most successful showbiz families in the world. It is a heartbreaking situation,” the source said. Though his situation remained dire, Jess eventually found temporary shelter, moving into a modest motel in Ojai.
Moving into a Modest Motel
By late 2024, Jess had moved into the three-star Topa Vista Hotel in Ojai, California. The budget motel, located along a busy highway, sits across from a coffee shop and a hair salon. While a far cry from luxury, it offered basic amenities, including air-conditioned rooms and flat-screen TVs.
The property is owned by Steve Edelson, a Los Angeles nightclub mogul. According to reports, all rooms in the small establishment were fully booked, with guests — including Jess — settling in for extended stays.
Despite its modest accommodations, the motel provided a level of stability that Jess had not experienced in years. Compared to his previous life on the streets, it represented an improvement, even if it remained worlds apart from the comfort and wealth of his family.
The Stark Contrast Between Jess and His Wealthy Family
Meanwhile, Jess’s father and stepmother continued to live in luxury. The couple resides in a sprawling $20 million Malibu estate, surrounded by 3,000 rosebushes.
His stepmother, Barbara, one of the most successful entertainers in history, has amassed a fortune through her decades-long career, earning multiple Oscars, Grammys, and other prestigious awards.
Jess’s older brother, Josh Brolin, has also built a highly successful Hollywood career. Best known for his roles in “Men in Black,” “Avengers,” and “No Country for Old Men,” Josh has remained in the public eye as a leading actor.
On the other hand, Jess has stayed out of the spotlight. Although he briefly worked in the film industry, with credits in “Black Scorpion” (2001), “Shadow Dancer” (1997), and “Enemy Action” (1999), his Hollywood career never took off.
He eventually left the entertainment world entirely, setting him further apart from his well-known relatives. Jess and Josh are not James’s only children. After divorcing their mother, Jane, James married actress Jan Smithers, best known for her role on “WKRP in Cincinnati.”
From that marriage, Jess gained a younger half-sister, Molly Elizabeth Brolin, born in 1987. Unlike Josh, who followed in their father’s footsteps, Jess and Molly have largely stayed out of the spotlight.
Barbra, too, had another family before marrying James. She was previously married to actor Elliott Gould, with whom she shares a son, Jason Gould, born in 1966.
Jason, like his mother, has pursued a career in the entertainment industry, working as both an actor and a musician. However, much like Jess, Jason prefers to keep a low profile, stating in 2017, “I sort of like being out of the spotlight.”
Jess’s living situation has continued to raise questions about his relationship with his family and the extent of their support.
Family’s Attempts to Help and Public Reaction
Despite Jess’s struggles, his family has maintained that they have tried to support him over the years. Following the release of troubling images showing him searching through trash bins, a representative for Barbra responded.
“We have offered help and support, and continue to do so. We love him very much and want only the best for him,” they stated. His father, James Brolin, has also spoken about Jess’s life, suggesting that his scavenging may not have been solely for personal survival.
In a 2021 interview, James claimed that Jess was involved in charitable work, saying, “I know he’s been photographed collecting bottles and cans out of the trash, but all the money went to charity.” Despite these statements, news of Jess’s living conditions has sparked widespread sympathy and concern.
Comments from netizens included, “Poor guy needs help,” “The poor chap needs help, not abandonment,” and “It’s very sad to see.” Others speculated that he might be struggling with depression.
While Jess has largely remained disconnected from his family, James and Barbra continue to be actively involved in the lives of their other children and grandchildren. The couple adores Josh’s children and frequently keeps in touch with them.
In 2018, after Josh and his wife Kathryn welcomed their daughter Westlyn, James expressed his joy, saying, “You get another one like this one, there couldn’t be anything better!”
He also shared that Barbara, though not related to them by blood, cherishes her role as a grandmother. “She’s just mush around them! She just turns to melted putty the minute … they talk on the phone,” he shared.
James has also publicly expressed pride in all his children. In a 2018 social media post, he wrote, “Children are a gift. I’m so proud of my three kids @joshbrolin, Jess, and Molly and incredible grandkids.” His words suggested that, despite Jess’s struggles, he still acknowledges him as part of the family.
Meanwhile, he and Barbara have continued to live a life of luxury, enjoying the comfort of their Malibu estate. While Jess has remained largely disconnected from them, James and Barbra have built a home filled with love, memories, and a strong family bond.
Barbra and James’s house is more than just a residence — it’s the place where they solidified their relationship and created a lasting legacy. Their journey to owning the home was not easy, but it has become a symbol of their enduring marriage and the life they built together.
The legendary powerhouse performer and her iconic actor husband, have been living in the same house with their dogs for many years. However, the journey to buying the home was not easy. The couple had to work hard to get to where they wanted to be.
Streisand saw the home for the first time when she was living nearby. However, she could not buy it because her boyfriend at the time didn’t like it. Another factor prohibiting her from making the purchase was the fact that she was unable to afford the house at the time.
Now, the couple lives in Streisand’s dream home. This is the same home that saw them recently celebrate their 26th wedding anniversary on July 1. Taking to Instagram to mark the momentous milestone, Streisand posted an endearing photo of the two posing for a picture in a side embrace.
“28 years today since we met honey… and 26 years today since we married! Love you. B ❤️,” penned the “Funny Girl” star in her caption.
Brolin and Streisand live in their house with their adorable Maltese poodles, which they are enamored with. Streisand has even shared photos of the dogs on their birthdays on her Instagram page. There are three dogs, Scarlet, Violet, and Fanny.
The first time that Streisand saw the home was in 1984 when she lived on a ranch down the road most weekends. She mentioned that she never really enjoyed that house and so, her real estate broker introduced her to a place near the ocean.
Streisand admitted that the house’s facade was not grand because it was a modern gray and looked like some sort of “contraption.” However, when she entered the home, she found that it had a “rustic charm.”
The Broadway star immediately fell in love with the house and wanted to purchase it. Unfortunately, this was not in the cards for her yet, and she had to wait many more years before she could finally call the house home.
At that point, Streisand owned the ranch that she had been staying on, and her manager told her that until she sold the ranch, she would not be able to afford the home she had fallen in love with.
She also admitted that her boyfriend at the time thought the home she loved was too close to the cliff on which the house was situated. Streisand decided that she wouldn’t buy it but confessed, “I was so forlorn when I found out that it was sold to someone else, and they had started renovating it.”
Streisand’s love for the home did not fade with time. In fact, she never stopped thinking about her dream house that she could not purchase for herself. She divulged that she felt deeply about the house.
Although, at the time, she did not buy the home, Streisand still lived on the nearby ranch and often saw the place. She also said that the couple who owned the property knew how much she loved it.
Talking about what she did after finding out that the home had been sold, she admitted, “I would climb over the fence and walk around to see what they were doing and pine, literally pine for this house I didn’t buy.”
However, some years later, her luck turned around when the couple who owned the house kept her in mind as they got ready to move.
She even bought a house one house away from her beloved home just because they were close together. Streisand then made friends with the old couple that had the house between the one she wanted and the one she owned.
She revealed that when the old couple moved away, she bought their house with the thought that she would knock both homes down and build one big house for herself on the two-acre property.
Lo and behold, fate finally smiled upon her. The couple in the house that she wanted got divorced and reduced the price of the home, which meant that Streisand could finally afford to purchase the property for herself and finally call it home in 1995. She said she was grateful for the house because she did not have to build it or fuss over small details.