Fifty years. That is how long it has been since the most famous kidnapping in American history turned a newspaper heiress into a gun-toting revolutionary named "Tania." If you’re looking for the Berkeley apartment where it all started, you're looking at the wrong coast. People always ask where does patty hearst live now because the transition from radical insurgent to suburban grandmother is, honestly, one of the wildest pivots in pop culture history.
She isn't hiding in a safe house anymore.
From Garrison to the Garden
Most people expect to find Patricia Hearst Shaw—she goes by Patricia now, though the world won't let go of "Patty"—living in some hyper-secure fortress in California. That’s not the case. For decades, her home base has been the East Coast. Specifically, she spent many years in Garrison, New York, a quiet, upscale hamlet in Putnam County. It’s the kind of place where you have a view of the Hudson River and enough trees to actually feel private.
She lived there with her husband, Bernard Shaw, until his death in 2013. Bernard was a former San Francisco cop who originally worked as her bodyguard after she was released from prison. They were married for 34 years. After he passed, Patricia shifted her life more toward the city and her passions. You’ve probably seen her in the news lately, but not for anything related to the Symbionese Liberation Army (SLA).
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Basically, she’s a dog person.
If you want to find her today, your best bet isn't a political rally; it’s the Westminster Kennel Club Dog Show. She has become a powerhouse in the world of competitive dog breeding. In 2025 and 2026, she’s still a fixture in that scene. She even co-hosted the famous "Poodle Party" ahead of the 2025 Westminster show. It’s a far cry from the 1970s. She spends a lot of time in New York City and Connecticut, alternating between the urban hustle and the quiet of the suburbs.
The Hearst Estate Connection
While she has her own residences, the Hearst family shadow is long. Her childhood home in Hillsborough, California—a massive 20-room mansion—sold for over $13 million a few years back. She doesn't live in the legendary Hearst Castle at San Simeon, either. That’s a state park now. However, she remains deeply connected to the family business and its philanthropic arms.
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Some facts to keep straight:
- She primarily resides in the New York/Connecticut area.
- Her focus is on her two daughters, Gillian and Lydia Hearst, and her grandchildren.
- She has found a second career as an author and actress, specifically appearing in several John Waters films like Cry-Baby.
It’s kinda fascinating. Most people who go through that level of trauma and public scrutiny either disappear or stay stuck in the past. She did neither. She chose the New York socialite route, but with a weird, cool twist—like breeding award-winning French Bulldogs and Shih Tzus.
Why the Location Matters
Living in New York and Connecticut allowed her to escape the "San Francisco heiress" trope that defined her 1974 kidnapping. In the East Coast social circles, she’s Patricia Hearst Shaw, the philanthropist and dog breeder. In California, she’ll always be the girl from the Hibernia Bank robbery photos.
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Honestly, her current life is remarkably stable. She’s 71 now. She’s a grandmother who worries about ribbons at Madison Square Garden. If you’re trying to track her down for an interview or a glimpse of the "old" Patty, you're out of luck. She has spent the last 40 years meticulously building a life that is as normal as a billionaire heiress's life can be.
What You Can Do Next
If you're interested in the modern-day activities of Patricia Hearst, the best way to see what she's up to is to follow the Westminster Kennel Club results or look into the charitable work of the Hearst Foundations. You can also check out her memoir, Every Secret Thing, which gives a lot of context on how she transitioned from her time with the SLA back into society. It’s a long read, but it explains why she chose to settle so far away from the West Coast.
Check out the official Hearst Corporation archives if you want to see the family's current philanthropic footprint in New York.