As of March 2020, Edinburgh Bungalow Court is in safe hands. A longtime Conservancy supporter teamed up with a historic renovator from The Prop Shop to purchase it and plan to preserve and rehabilitate for rental housing once again. Read the full story about the five-year effort on our blog.  

There were many twists and turns to this Herculean effort to save Edinburgh over a five year period, from environmental appeals and settlements to lawsuits. Through legal intervention, an agreement to sell Edinburgh was finally reached just as owners secured a demolition permit, so it could not have been closer.

The “Save 750 Edinburgh” campaign was  born in 2015. An early effort and boost came in late 2015 when the City of Los Angeles initiated a Historic-Cultural Monument (HCM) nomination for Edinburgh. It is rare for the City to step in and take a stand, especially in this case with HCM initiation from the then-director of city planning. HCM status was key in buying time and keeping the bungalow court standing, as demolition was imminent with the last of the residents evicted through an Ellis Act process and Edinburgh already fenced off.

Even after HCM designation was secured in early 2016 the owners continued to pursue demolition as part of a small-lot subdivision plan and environmental review process that lasted through 2019. Empty and not always secured, Edinburgh quickly deteriorating from a lack of upkeep and constant squatters, making it a neighborhood nuisance and point of contention.

There are many others to thank who ultimately helped in saving Edinburgh Bungalow Court. Councilmember Koretz and his team facilitated discussions throughout the process and brought various parties together. Architectural Resources Group completed the HCM nomination. The Cultural Heritage Commission and staff made all the difference in buying Edinburgh time. Nita Lelyveld from the Los Angeles Times and her article in the eleventh hour attracted the attention of a buyer.

The Conservancy is proud to have played a role too, and takes inspiration from this and many other saves where people come together to make a difference, in this case saving and loving a simple bungalow court.