Marilyn Monroe's former LA home declared historic cultural monument

The former Los Angeles home of Marilyn Monroe has been declared a historic cultural monument, preventing its demolition by the current owners. The Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously (12-0) to approve the motion introduced by Councilwoman Traci Park, representing the 11th District where the home is located.

Monroe purchased the one-story Spanish Colonial-style home on Helena Drive in 1962 for $75,000. It was the only residence she ever owned, and she died there six months later. The 2,900-square-foot estate in Brentwood features four bedrooms, three bathrooms, beamed ceilings, terra-cotta tile floors, and a large backyard swimming pool surrounded by citrus trees and a manicured lawn.

"We have an opportunity to do something today that should have been done 60 years ago," Park said before the vote. "There is no other person or place in the city of Los Angeles as iconic as Marilyn Monroe and her Brentwood home."

The decision follows a lengthy battle between the council and the owners, Roy Bank and Brinah Milstein, who bought the home in July 2023 for $8.35 million with plans to demolish it to expand their estate. The couple obtained a demolition permit soon after, but Park introduced a motion to protect the home by granting it landmark status, receiving approval from the Cultural Heritage Commission and the Planning and Land Use Management Committee.

Bank and Milstein sued the city, claiming it acted unconstitutionally to preserve the house and exaggerated Monroe's connection to it. A judge denied their injunction request to stop the historical designation, with a trial-setting conference for the pending lawsuit scheduled for August 13.

Councilwoman Park highlighted Monroe's enduring legacy, stating, "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 story still resonates and inspires many of us today."