Council Designates 1913 Airplane Bungalow a Landmark
Santa Monica's City Council voted 5 to 0 to overturn a planning commission denial and designate the Craftsman-style home at 1921 20th Street.
Updated on Nov. 6, 2026 in City Hall
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The Santa Monica City Council voted 5 to 0 on October 27 to designate the 1913 Airplane Bungalow at 1921 20th Street a city landmark. The vote overturned the Landmarks Commission's September 14 denial of the designation.
Why it matters
The council found the house met three of the city's six landmark criteria, while the Landmarks Commission had found it met none. Landmark status protects the property's exterior, which bears on how the surrounding city's historic housing stock is preserved in Santa Monica.
The council voted 5 to 0 to designate the house after a consultant found it eligible under three of six criteria, while the commission had found none met. The main structure measures about 1,379 square feet, though a staff report wrongly attributed the 612-square-foot back house's dimensions to it.
The players
Santa Monica City Council
The elected legislative body of Santa Monica, California, which holds final authority over city landmark designations.
Landmarks Commission
The Santa Monica advisory body that reviews landmark applications and whose September 14 denial the council overturned.
Historic Resources Group
A historic preservation consulting firm retained by the city that found the residence eligible for landmark status.
The details
Simon and Anna Unfried built the house in 1913, and it is the only one of three structures the couple built on their parcel that still stands. Designation covers only the exterior, leaving interior remodeling and new rear housing permitted under the landmark status.
Timeline
1913: Simon and Anna Unfried build the house at 1921 20th Street.
September 14, 2026: The Landmarks Commission denies the designation application.
October 27, 2026: The City Council votes 5 to 0 to designate the property a city landmark.
Political Context
The council's decision departed from the Landmarks Commission's finding that the house met none of Santa Monica's six designation criteria. Under the city's framework, the council concluded the Craftsman-style Airplane Bungalow satisfied three criteria tied to city history, aesthetic value, and architectural rarity.
Landmark status governs the exterior of the 1921 20th Street property and limits changes to it. Interior remodeling and new rear housing remain permitted, so residents and neighbors should expect continued construction activity on the parcel.
The takeaway
Local landmark decisions can turn on how a city applies its own criteria, and the difference between a commission finding and a council vote can change outcomes for historic properties. Residents interested in preservation should track city council agendas for future designations.
Further reading
Follow more local decisions in the City Hall section.
Source note: This article includes information reported by Hoodline.
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