Marilyn Monroe’s former Los Angeles home was declared a historic cultural monument as the current owners — a wealthy real estate heiress and reality TV producer husband — claim the city used “unconstitutional” methods before they could demolish the abode.
During a meeting on Wednesday, the LA City Council unanimously voted 12-0 to place the iconic property on the list of Historic-Cultural Monuments.
The home, tucked away in a cul-de-sac in Brentwood was the only one Monroe ever owned and was where she infamously died on August 4, 1962.
The one-story, Hacienda-style home on a 2,900-square-foot property was recognized for its importance in the city’s history.
“We have an opportunity to do something today that should’ve been done 60 years ago. There’s no other person or place in the city of Los Angeles as iconic as Marilyn Monroe and her Brentwood home,” Councilmember Traci Park said before Wednesday’s vote.
“Some of the most world-famous images ever taken of her were in that home, on those grounds, near her pool, and that Marilyn tragically died there forever ties her in time and place to this very home,” Park added.
“There is likely no woman in history or culture who captures the imagination of the public, the way Marilyn Monroe did. Even all these years later, her stories still resonate and inspire many of us today,” Park, who represents the 11th district where the house is located said.
“To lose this piece of history, the only home that Marilyn Monroe ever owned would be a devastating blow for historic preservation and for a city where less than 3% of historic designations are associated with women’s heritage.”
Park also introduced a motion that would “evaluate tour bus restrictions” on the road leading to the home and the surrounding area, looking to find a more suitable place for the public to enjoy the new historic site.
“My team and I will continue working closely with the community to address any future concerns that arise,” Park said. “I also understand that access is an important component of preservation, which is why throughout this process, my team and I have worked closely with the property owners to assess potentially moving the home to a place where the public might actually be able to visit and spend time.”
The property was purchased in 2023 by the couple who live next door for around $8.35 million.
Following the acquisition, the couple filed for demolition permits with plans to expand their property, the Post exclusively reported last year.
Brinah Milstein and Roy Bank’s permit was originally given the green light to enter the initial stages of the demolition process but was soon paused after officials learned about the plans.
The city council temporarily stopped the demolition during a September 2023 hearing, claiming the property should be designated a historic cultural monument.
The couple filed a lawsuit in May accusing the city of “illegal and unconstitutional conduct” and using “backdoor machinations” in its fight to save the house, which Monroe purchased for $75,000 in 1962.
The couple claimed the city exaggerated Monroe’s connection to the house, describing the residence as “the house where Marilyn Monroe occasionally lived for a mere six months before she tragically committed suicide 61 years ago,” KCAL-TV reported.
“All of these backroom machinations were in the name of preserving a house which in no way meets any of the criteria for a `Historic-Cultural Monument,’” the lawsuit, which remains unresolved, stated.
The couple alleged the city has approved dozens of renovations to the home’s 14 previous owners, with the current property having “nothing left reflecting Ms. Monroe’s brief time there 60 years ago,” attorney Peter C. Sheridan told KTLA.
Sheridan also blasted Park’s claims that she is working with the owners on a plan to move the home.
“Neither she nor her staff have worked closely with the owners, throughout this process or anytime else, to relocate the house to allow for public access,” he told the outlet. “Traci Park’s actions today and throughout the process, disregarding the interests of her constituents and the facts and merits, demonstrate that no one’s home or investment is safe.”
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