A Brentwood heiress and her producer husband are suing Los Angeles and its mayor after the city repeatedly blocked them from demolishing their mansion, which used to belong to Marilyn Monroe.
Real estate heiress Brinah Milstein and her producer husband Roy Bank filed an updated complaint last month alleging that the city violated their constitutional rights by stopping them tearing down the $8.35 million property.
Monroe owned the couple's Los Angeles home for just six months, before she died there aged just 36 from a drug overdose in 1962.
They said in their filing that the city stopped them 'without any public purpose or just compensation paid', and alleged they had the right to demolish the former home of the Hollywood icon.
The Los Angeles Times reported that Milstein and Bank are seeking a court order that allows them to level the home and receive compensation from the city for its decline in property value.
The filing claimed that the city deprived them of the 'use and enjoyment' of their massive property, 'without any actual benefit to the public.'
They alleged that the landmark designation of the home, which isn't viewable from the street, 'turned the property into a tourist attraction,' per the filing.
Milstein and Bank bought the Spanish-style home in 2023 for $8.35 million, hoping to tear it down and expand their property next door.
Milstein is the heiress of a wealthy real estate family, while Bank's producer credits include the 2022 martial arts documentary The Cave of Adullam, and reality shopping show Flea Market Flip.
Brinah Milstein and Roy Bank purchased the home last summer, hoping to destroy it and expand their current Brentwood property next door
The couple have now filed a new suit against Los Angeles, claiming their constitutional rights were violated
Marilyn Monroe own the home for just six months before she died in 1962
To demolish Monroe's old home, the couple even obtained permits from the LA Department of Building and Safety to begin the process.
But public outrage prompted the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission to declare the site a landmark beginning in January 2024.
The couple filed their first lawsuit in May 2024, hoping to stop the city from imposing landmark status on the single-family home.
In their most recent suit, the couple claimed 'they were regularly not given the legally required notice and an opportunity to be heard.'
Despite the filing, Los Angeles City Council voted unanimously to preserve the property in June 2024.
While Monroe owned the home, the filing claimed, she spent most of her time at her New York City residence.
Because of this, among other reasons, the suit alleged the city 'lacked valid public purpose' to take the property.
The Brentwood home is part of a small, private enclave of houses, which became a stunning and sophisticated area in part because of Monroe's decision to move there
Monroe poses outside her home in 1962, it was the only property she ever purchased and owned by herself
The hope has reportedly changed drastically since it was purchased by Monroe, changing hands between 14 owners
Monroe's final home has been altered many times since it was built in the 1920s.
It is believed to have first been erected in 1929, but was already a very different property by the time Monroe purchased it for $75,000 in the early sixties.
At least 14 owners have taken over the property since the actress died of an overdose in 1962.
'Not a trace of Ms. Monroe’s short tenure at the house remains at the Property or in the house,' read the suit.
As a compromise, the couple attempted to work with the city to have the mansion moved to a more accessible location, the suit said.
But the city declined, and a judge threw out the couple's initial suit case in September 2025, calling it 'an ill-disguised motion to win so they can demolish the home.'
The house cannot be seen from the street, which does not stop curious visitors from attempting to peer over the fence or gain access to other nearby properties in order to get a peak
The bed in which Monroe overdosed on August 4, 1962
Despite the couple's efforts, an onslaught of the iconic star's fans have reportedly visited the home since it was designated as a cultural monument.
The filing claimed the tourists caused traffic congestion, 'numerous trespassers,' and even a burglary last November.
'As recently as November 7, 2025, burglars scaled the wall on the Property and broke into the “designated” house, apparently searching for memorabilia or other items,' it read.
In the filing, Milstein and Bank accused the city of failing to 'compensate Plaintiffs for their lost use and enjoyment of their Property' since it became a historical cultural site.
The complaint also criticized the city for failing to preserve the home at any point in the 60 years before plans of demolition came to light.
The Los Angeles Planning Commission, which manages historical landmarks, declined to comment on pending litigation.
The Daily Mail contacted legal representation for Milstein and Bank and the city of Los Angeles for comment.
