Overview

• The Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission has unanimously voted to designate Marilyn Monroe's former home as a historic cultural monument, temporarily saving it from demolition.
• The house, located at 12305 W. 5th Helena Drive, is the only home Monroe ever bought herself and is where she died at the age of 36 in 1962.
• The current owner, Glory of the Snow Trust, had received a permit to demolish the house in September 2023, but the L.A. City Council suspended the permit following public outcry.
• The house's designation as a historic cultural monument delays potential demolition for 180 days, but permanent protection will only be granted after review by the L.A. Planning and Use Committee and City Council.
• Historian Scott Fortner and the Monroe Preservation Group have found that the house was likely designed by famed historic Los Angeles architect Harbin Hunter, adding to its historical significance.