Millionaire neighbors oppose landmark status for $8M Brentwood mansion where Marilyn Monroe died - despite fears house could be torn down by new owners

In the coming weeks, the home where actress Marilyn Monroe live and died in will face a vote by Los Angeles City Council that residents feel could bring more residents to their neighborhood. 

Fans of the late actress currently wander the neighborhood with free reign, often looking for the home where she died more than 60 years ago.

As of writing, the gated fence is currently as close as they can get, but that hasn't stopped tourists - and even busses traversing the narrow street - from attempting to access the property.

That said, Monroe only lived at the bungalow in affluent Brentwood for some four-and-a-half months - before overdosing on barbiturates in 1962. Now worth $8.35million, Monroe bought it back in February of that year for $77,500, unknowingly making it a destination in the decades to come. 

Residents, meanwhile, are unhappy with the dynamic present already, and think that making the home a historical monument will only make matters worse.

In the coming weeks, the Brentwood home where actress Marilyn Monroe live and died in will face a vote by Los Angeles City Council that will decide whether it will gain 'historical' status

Residents like Eve McGregor (left) and Monique Kagan (right) do not approve, citing the out-of-towners the bungalow already draws

'People that are maybe not very well mentally,' said neighbor Eve McGregor of the unwanted sightseers, speaking to ABC 7.

'They think they're descendants of Marilyn Monroe, and that it's their house,' 

'And they camp out... so, yeah. It's not that pleasant.'

Monique Kagan, another resident of the quiet, tree-lined suburb, told the station that tourists already have attempted to access the giant gate on the property, with some allegedly successful.

'There were two intruders who came in looking for Marilyn Monroe's site - they said where she was murdered,' the middle-aged woman recalled, stopping for a interview in the upscale neighborhood. 

'So, it can be very scary sometimes.'

The station went on to show b-roll of some of these intruders - apparently garnered from the litany of surveillance cameras that line the properties along with the luscious greenery.

They showed tourists armed with maps scouring the house's gate, seemingly looking for a way in.

Footage seemingly recorded Tuesday showed visitors helping each other find the site, whose new owners officially filed a plan to tear it down in August

According to records from the Los Angeles Department of Building and Safety, the new owners of the home officially filed a plan to tear down the estate in August, but the city stopped those plans with its new landmark effort

The property (in color) is a 2,900 square foot Hacienda-style estate built in 1929, now worth north of $8million. Write's have described it as 'an oasis' in an already lush area

Neighbors have said tourists already have attempted to access the giant gate on the property, with some allegedly successful

The site, if the vote this week goes through, will be protected and preserved for the years to come

Photo of the bed where actress Marilyn Monroe, was discovered dead on August 5, 1962 

A police officer stands in the backyard of the Brentwood home on the day of Monroe's death

Monroe's body is wheeled out of her Brentwood home on August 5, 1962

Clips seemingly recorded Tuesday showed visitors helping each other find the site in question

Actual footage filmed from the street - Fifth Helena Drive - showed an enormous tour bus attempting to traverse the road, while others seemingly recorded Tuesday showed visitors helping each other find the site in question. 

That site, if the vote this week goes through, will be protected and preserved for the years to come, as part of an effort led by Los Angeles City Councilwoman Traci Park, who represents Brentwood.

She became involved after the home's current owners officially filed a plan to tear it down back in August, sparking fierce outcry from Monroe loyalists.

Speaking to ABC 7, Park said she took the step after hundreds of those fans contacted her office asking her to prevent the estate from being destroyed - claiming that the family that owns the property tentatively supports her plan, with one caveat.

'I can't imagine any home in the city of Los Angeles more worthy of this designation than Marilyn Monroe's home,' Park said, explaining that if approved, the home would be moved to another location nearby more accessible to the public.

She went on: 'It's also a very fair request from our community and constituents that their interest and privacy be respected as well, so when I hear things about trespassing, that really crosses a line.'

As of writing, the gated fence is currently as close as they can get, but that hasn't stopped tourists - and even busses traversing the narrow street - from attempting to access the property

 The family that owns the property tentatively supports the plan, with one important caveat 

ABC 7went on to show b-roll of some of these intruders - apparently garnered from the litany of surveillance cameras that line the properties along with the luscious greenery

An attorney retained by the family, however, appeared to pushback in an interview with ABC 7 Tuesday, telling the station that the landmark deal is still less than ideal

'Designating it as a landmark doesn't do anything to help the public, does nothing to address the community's concerns. In fact, it's only going to worsen the impacts on the community,' he said

The Brentwood Hacienda-style home, located at 12305 Fifth Helena Drive, is best known as the last residence of the 'Some Like It Hot' starlet (pictured outside a previous home in 1956)

Dissidents say a home with a passing connection to a celebrity doesn't meet the standards for a landmark

The homeowners, meanwhile, still live next door to the property, and according to Park, support the proposal to physically move the house - a move that would likely cause a drop in unwanted foot traffic.

An attorney retained by the family, however, appeared to pushback in an interview with ABC 7 Tuesday, telling the station that the landmark deal is still less than ideal.

 '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],' said Benjamin Hanelin.

He added: 'Designating it as a landmark doesn't do anything to help the public, does nothing to address the community's concerns. In fact, it's only going to worsen the impacts on the community.'

Hanelin did not reference the relocation plan, which, according to comments offered up by Park, does not seem to be a done deal.

'I think it's a very creative idea. It would certainly involve a lot of work and funding,' she told the outlet of the somewhat vague undertaking via Zoom. 

'We'd have to find a suitable location for it, but if that's something that there is community interest and support in doing, 

'It would provide the access that I think is an important part of preservation,' she added, not offering details. 'It may just be a solution that works for everyone.'

The vote is as part of an effort led by Los Angeles City Councilwoman Traci Park, who said she took the step after hundreds of those fans contacted her office asking her to prevent the estate from being destroyed

Bejamin Hanelin, a lawyer for the current homeowners, said that designating it a historical site will set a terrible precedent, in a city filled with homes that celebs have lived in for often short periods of time

The homeowners, meanwhile, still live next door to the property, and according to Park, support the proposal to physically move the house - a move that would likely cause a drop in unwanted foot traffic.

However, they only support it if the home is physically moved - an undertaking that will take time, and cost money

Monroe opened up about the property in an interview with Life magazine in 1962. 'Anybody who likes my house, I'm sure I'll get along with,' she said

Hanelin, however, shot back that designating it a historical site will set a terrible precedent, in a city filled with homes that celebs have lived in for often short periods of time. 

He claimed a home with a passing connection to a celebrity doesn't meet the standards for a landmark, despite it being billed by writers as an 'oasis' in the neighborhood, while those who knew the actress said she was proud of and often 'exulted in' the property. 

Before her death, she opened up about that dynamic in an interview with Life magazine - one that seemed to suggest she may approve of the fanfare outside her old residence.

'Anybody who likes my house, I'm sure I'll get along with,' she said at the time.