Marilyn Monroe Home Owners Lose Another Demolition Challenge

Caption: Marilyn Monroe, 1953. Credit: Sam Shaw / Public domain (U.S.), via Wikimedia Commons.

The owners of Marilyn Monroe’s former Brentwood home have lost a second federal challenge to Los Angeles’ historic designation of the property. U.S. District Judge Percy Anderson dismissed their amended case on Sept. 28, while their attorney says an appeal is planned.

The homeowners claim the designation cut the property’s value from about $8.5 million to $820,000 and prevented demolition and other planned work. The court acknowledged the claimed loss in value but found the owners had not stated a viable federal takings claim.

The Court Rejected the Owners’ Revised Federal Claim

Brinah Milstein and Roy Bank returned to federal court after an earlier dismissal in May. Their amended complaint again argued that Los Angeles effectively took value from the property by designating it a Historic-Cultural Monument.

The Numbers Turn a Preservation Fight Into a Property-Value Dispute

The owners say the home was worth $8.5 million before designation and about $820,000 afterward, a drop of nearly 91%. They also say the landmark status prevents the renovation and demolition plans they had when they purchased the property in 2023.

The City’s Protection Still Blocks the Original Demolition Plan

The property was designated a monument in 2024 after the city moved to preserve the house where Monroe lived during the final months of her life. That designation remains in place despite the owners’ federal challenges.

The Next Fight Moves to Appeal Rather Than Demolition

The owners’ attorney says the dismissal is not the end of the case and plans to appeal. Unless a higher court changes the result or the city alters the designation, the original demolition plan remains blocked.

References: Judge Blocks Couple’s Latest Bid to Demolish Marilyn Monroe’s Former L.A. Home