Marilyn Monroe's Legacy Preserved: Los Angeles City Council Designates Her Former Home as Historic Cultural Monument
In a unanimous decision on June 26, 2024, the Los Angeles City Council voted to designate Marilyn Monroe's former home in Brentwood as a historic cultural monument. The house, which is where Monroe died in August 1962 from an apparent overdose, has been a subject of controversy due to the current owners' plans to demolish it and expand their estate.
The council's decision came after months of debate and opposition from homeowner groups concerned about tour bus activity and disruptions from tourists. Councilwoman Traci Park, who led the effort to preserve Monroe's home, stated that it is an essential piece of Los Angeles history and culture due to Monroe's iconic status in Hollywood.
Monroe bought the house for $75,000 in 1962 and died there just months later. The current owners, Brinah Milstein and Roy Bank, purchased the property for $8.35 million and obtained a demolition permit but faced opposition from fans of Monroe who wanted to preserve her legacy.
Milstein and Bank argued that the house has been changed so much over the years that it no longer reflects Monroe's brief time there 60 years ago, and that it has become a neighborhood nuisance due to tourist traffic. However, their efforts to stop the historic designation were unsuccessful.
The process leading up to the designation was described as biased and rigged by Milstein and Bank's attorney, Peter C. Sheridan. The couple also faced opposition from civic and homeowners' groups who supported preserving Monroe's legacy.
In addition to the historic designation, a Palm Springs planning commission decision marked a step toward keeping the 26-foot (8-meter)