Marilyn Monroe's Brentwood Home Officially Designated as Historic Cultural Monument

Brentwood, California United States of America
Current owners opposed the designation and wanted to demolish the house and expand their estate
Marilyn Monroe's former home in Brentwood designated as historic cultural monument by Los Angeles City Council
Opposition from homeowner groups due to tourist traffic and disruptions from tourists
Purchase price of house by Monroe in 1962: $75,000
Marilyn Monroe's Brentwood Home Officially Designated as Historic Cultural Monument

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)



Confidence

91%

Doubts
  • The current owners argued that the house has been changed so much over the years that it no longer reflects Monroe's brief time there. Is this true?
  • Were there any biases or irregularities in the process leading up to the historic designation?

Sources

100%

  • Unique Points
    • Marilyn Monroe’s home in Los Angeles has been declared a historic cultural monument.
    • Marilyn Monroe bought the house for $75,000 and died there on Aug. 4, 1962.
    • Traci Park stated that there is no other person or place in Los Angeles as iconic as Marilyn Monroe and her Brentwood home.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (0%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

98%

  • Unique Points
    • Marilyn Monroe’s home was named a Historic-Cultural Monument by the L.A. City Council.
    • The current owners, Brinah Milstein and Roy Bank, have no plans to sell the property despite the designation.
    • Brinah and Roy feel violated by the historic designation and face threats from fans wanting to visit.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (95%)
    The author makes an appeal to emotion when describing the homeowners' feelings of violation and their desire to sell the property due to its current state and inability to make improvements. They also use inflammatory rhetoric by stating that the house is 'useless' to them if they cannot demolish it.
    • ][author] The married couple will continue to fight this week’s L.A. City Council unanimous vote to designate Marilyn’s former house a landmark with cultural significance -- a tag that protects it from being torn down. We’re told Brinah and Roy feel violated by the ruling and don’t want to be forced to sell it ...[/](The author uses the words
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

100%

  • Unique Points
    • The L.A. City Council voted 12-0 to save Marilyn Monroe’s former home in Brentwood from demolition on June 26, 2024.
    • Marilyn Monroe died of a drug overdose at her Brentwood home in 1962, which is now owned by real estate heiress Brinah Milstein and her husband Roy Bank.
    • City Councilmember Traci Park led the effort to preserve Monroe’s home and received hundreds of calls from people asking for its preservation.
    • Monroe’s Brentwood home is a 1920s-era Spanish-style house, which is considered an essential piece of L.A.’s history and culture according to Park.
    • Some homeowner groups opposed the historic designation due to concerns about tour bus activity and disruptions from tourists.
    • Park introduced a motion to restrict tour buses on parts of Helena Drive and surrounding streets to address nearby residents’ concerns.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

100%

  • Unique Points
    • Marilyn Monroe’s former home in Los Angeles was bought by Monroe in 1962.
    • The estate features four bedrooms, three bathrooms, beamed ceilings, terra-cotta tile floors and a large backyard swimming pool surrounded by lush citrus trees and a manicured lawn.
    • Councilwoman Traci Park introduced the motion to protect the home from demolition due to its historical significance.
    • Monroe is an iconic Hollywood figure known for her acting, singing, modeling and sex symbol status.
    • The city denied the couple’s injunction request to stop the historical designation of Monroe’s home and a trial-setting conference for the pending lawsuit is set for Aug. 13.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication

99%

  • Unique Points
    • Marilyn Monroe's home in Los Angeles has been declared a historic cultural monument.
    • The house is where Marilyn Monroe died on Aug. 4, 1962.
    • Fans of Marilyn Monroe have been fighting to preserve the house from demolition by the current owners.
  • Accuracy
    No Contradictions at Time Of Publication
  • Deception (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Fallacies (95%)
    No egregious fallacies found. However, there are a few instances of inflammatory rhetoric and appeals to authority.
    • . . . fans of Marilyn Monroe have won a battle to preserve her mark on Los Angeles . . .
    • The Los Angeles City Council voted for the historic designation Wednesday after a lengthy battle over whether the home in the tony Brentwood neighborhood would be demolished.
    • The current owners, Brinah Milstein and Roy Bank, bought the house for $8.35 million and obtained a demolition permit but ran into opposition.
  • Bias (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Site Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication
  • Author Conflicts Of Interest (100%)
    None Found At Time Of Publication