Introduction to Marilyn Monroe’s L.A. Home

Background

For the second time in two years, Marilyn Monroe’s Brentwood home has been saved from destruction. Last summer, the Spanish Colonial-style hacienda was saved by the L.A. City Council, which voted unanimously to designate the house as a historic cultural monument, halting its impending demolition. This time around, it was rescued by an L.A. Superior Court judge, who rejected a legal challenge from the homeowners claiming the city’s landmark designation violated their right to raze the residence.

The Legal Battle

Judge James C. Chalfant upheld the City Council’s decision — and the home’s monument status — in a brief filed Tuesday. It could be the final chapter to a years-long saga with plenty of Hollywood twists and turns. On one side are the homeowners, Brinah Milstein and Roy Bank, who are fighting for the right to tear the property down. On the other are legions of historians, Angelenos and Monroe fans, who claim the 1920s haunt, where the actor died in 1962, is an indelible piece of celebrity history.

The Significance of the Home

The feud stirred up a larger conversation on what exactly is worth protecting in Southern California, a region loaded with architectural marvels and Old Hollywood haunts swirling with celebrity legend and gossip. Fans claim the house, located on 5th Helena Drive, is too iconic to be torn down. Monroe bought it for $75,000 in 1962 and died there six months later, the only home she ever owned by herself. The phrase “Cursum Perficio” — Latin for “The journey ends here” — was adorned in tile on the front porch, adding to the property’s lore.

An Aerial View of the House

An aerial view of the house where Marilyn Monroe died in Brentwood.
(Mel Bouzad / Getty Images)

The Homeowners’ Perspective

The homeowners claim it has been remodeled so many times over the years, with 14 different owners and over a dozen renovation permits issued over the last 60 years, that it bears no resemblance to its former self. Some Brentwood locals consider it a nuisance, since fans and tour buses flock to the address for pictures, even though the only thing visible from the street is the privacy wall. “There is not a single piece of the house that includes any physical evidence that Ms. Monroe ever spent a day at the house, not a piece of furniture, not a paint chip, not a carpet, nothing,” Milstein and Bank claimed in their lawsuit.

The Purchase and Plans for Demolition

Milstein, a wealthy real estate heiress, and Bank, a reality TV producer with credits including “The Apprentice” and “Survivor,” bought the home for $8.35 million in 2023 with plans to tear it down. They own the property next door and hoped to expand their estate. The pair obtained demolition permits from the Department of Building and Safety, but once their plans became public, an outcry erupted.

The City’s Response

Councilmember Traci Park, who represents L.A.’s 11th council district where the home is located, said she received hundreds of calls and emails urging her to protect it. In September 2023, she held a press conference dressed as Monroe — bright red lipstick, bobbing blond hair — urging the City Council to declare it a landmark. The Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission started the landmark application process in January 2024, barring the owners from destroying the house in the meantime. A few weeks later, Milstein pleaded her case to the commission. “We have watched it go unmaintained and unkept. We purchased the property because it is within feet of ours. And it is not a historic cultural monument,” she said at the time.

Conclusion

The couple sued the city a few months later, accusing them of unconstitutional actions and “backdoor machinations” in trying to preserve a house that doesn’t qualify as a historic cultural monument. Judge Chalfant denied the claim, calling it an “ill-disguised motion to win so they can demolish the home.” Milstein and Bank, who have previously offered to move the home so they can expand their own estate without destroying Monroe’s, could appeal the judge’s decision. For now, the home remains standing, a testament to the enduring legacy of Marilyn Monroe and the power of community activism in preserving cultural heritage.

FAQs

1. Why was Marilyn Monroe’s home saved from demolition?

   • The home was saved due to its designation as a historic cultural monument by the L.A. City Council and the subsequent ruling by Judge James C. Chalfant upholding this decision.

2. Who are the current owners of the home?

   • The current owners are Brinah Milstein and Roy Bank, who purchased the property in 2023 with initial plans to tear it down.

3. What is the significance of the phrase "Cursum Perficio" on the house?

   • "Cursum Perficio" is Latin for "The journey ends here," adding to the lore and significance of the property as the last home of Marilyn Monroe.

4. Can the owners appeal the judge’s decision?

   • Yes, Milstein and Bank could appeal Judge Chalfant’s decision, potentially prolonging the legal battle over the home’s fate.
5. What does the preservation of this home say about the value placed on cultural heritage in Los Angeles?
   • The preservation of Marilyn Monroe’s home highlights the importance of protecting cultural and historical landmarks in Los Angeles, reflecting the community’s value on its rich cultural heritage.