Debate Over Designating Actress’s Last Home Historical Landmark Intensifies
Marilyn Monroe is a beloved icon, but the neighborhood where one of the actress’ homes is located is not happy about the idea that the home could be designated as a historic landmark. We published an open letter yesterday airing some of these views, but there have been some responses to the issue in the last 24 hours.
The proposal might be coming to a vote this week to preserve the home where the actress died in Brentwood.
Los Angeles City Council member Traci Park of Council District 11 filed the paperwork to prevent the demolition of the home last year when the plan was made public. Park said she took the step after hundreds of fans contacted her office asking her to prevent the estate from being razed. The family that owns the property supports a plan to move the home to another location where it would be more accessible to the public.
Park spoke to ABC 7 News today and said, “I can’t imagine any home in the city of Los Angeles more worthy of this designation than Marilyn Monroe’s home. It’s also a very fair request from our community and constituents that their interest and privacy be respected, so when I hear things about trespassing, that really crosses a line.” She added that the idea to move the home was a creative idea that could potentially make the home accessible to fans.
Benjamin Hanelin, the lawyer for the family that owns the home, said, as quoted by ABC 7 News, “The house is not visible from the street. It will never be accessible to the public, even if it’s designated as a landmark. It is our client’s property, and they can do whatever they want with it.”
“Designating it as a landmark doesn’t do anything to help the public, does nothing to address the community’s concerns,” Hanelin said. “In fact, it’s only going to worsen the impacts on the community.”
