Political activist Gloria Steinem has died inside her longtime New York City home at the age of 92.

The news of her death was announced via a statement posted on her Instagram page, which read, “Yesterday, Gloria Steinem passed away peacefully at her home in New York City, surrounded by some of the many who loved her. Gloria’s near-century on earth were years well-lived, and she continued working for equality until the very end.”

The writer, who served as the face of second-wave feminism in the 1960s and 1970s, was described as an “independent spirit” who had a talent for listening to others.

“Gloria’s greatest gift was her ability to listen to others, to make others feel seen and heard. Her words, actions, and example gave people permission to be their truest selves. Gloria lived true to her independent spirit, always with curiosity and a great sense of humor,” the message continued.

The statement noted that Steinem “spent her recent years doing the two things she loved most: being in community with others and writing.”

“Gloria loved the tradition of lighting signal fires on hills to light the way to the other side of the mountain. Lighting your own candle for Gloria makes you part of this global and celestial community circle,” the post concluded.

Steinem moved to NYC in her mid-20s, and by 1968, she picked up her 1880s brownstone, which was situated on the Upper East Side.

Steinem moved into the parlor floor of the property with artist Barbara Nessim. It would ultimately become the place Steinem called home for the rest of her life.

Evidence of her early days in Manhattan remained even decades later. The activist and her roommate overhauled a discarded Connecticut porch into a chic lounging space in the living room, creating one of the property’s most unique architectural features.

“Whoever came in first at night got the bed up on the porch, and the other got the couch,” Steinem previously told Architectural Digest.

But the apartment’s history extended far beyond its interiors. Steinem used the residence as a place to bring together some of the women who were shaping American politics, media, and the feminist movement.

In 1971, a gathering in her living room helped lay the groundwork for Ms. magazine. Among the notable figures she later entertained at home were politician Bella Abzug and Wilma Mankiller, who became the first woman elected principal chief of the Cherokee Nation.

Her footprint in the building grew in 1987, when Steinem acquired the ground-floor apartment and incorporated it into her residence. The added rooms became a study and accommodations for guests.

She also turned her attention outdoors after frequent visits from her friend, author Alice Walker, inspired her to create a garden on the rear terrace.

The result was a property that truly evolved over decades without losing the evidence of Steinem’s life inside it.

When Steinem gave Architectural Digest a tour of the duplex decades after she first moved in, its rooms were packed with books, photographs, artwork, textiles, and keepsakes rather than adhering to a meticulously minimalist aesthetic.

Her office occupied part of the living room, complete with a Tiffany-style lamp gifted by a former neighbor. Nearby, a specially made folding screen resembled bookshelves, with the names of Steinem’s friends appearing on its faux volumes.

The primary bedroom offered another glimpse into her personal style. Vintage striped Ralph Lauren fabric covered the walls, an antique silk Uzbek suzani lay across the bed and bookcases occupied the room. Several pairs of the aviator glasses that had become one of Steinem’s trademarks were also kept nearby.

Her decades of activism were woven into the decor as well. Political buttons and pins appeared among her mementos, while a sign commemorating the 2017 ceremonial naming of “Ms. Magazine Way” in New York City was displayed in the hallway.

In Steinem’s later years, interior designer Jane Hallworth helped update parts of the aging property while leaving much of its personality intact.

Work on the ground-floor kitchen included plumbing improvements as well as new cabinetry, marble counters, a farmhouse-style sink and a new range.

The primary bathroom was also refreshed with blue tile in the bathing area and a vintage Moroccan light fixture.

The guest room held still more reminders of Steinem’s relationships, including needlepoint pillows created by her friend Marlo Thomas. Outside, the garden featured a bronze sculpture that friends presented to Steinem in celebration of her 90th birthday.

For all of the possessions accumulated there, however, Steinem’s attachment to the apartment appeared to run much deeper than its design.

Her childhood had involved frequent travel, and her work as an adult continued to take her around the world. The Manhattan residence offered a permanence that had once been unfamiliar to her.

“I made a home for myself,” she told the outlet. “But it took a while to learn that I didn’t have to live out of boxes and suitcases.”

And Steinem had already considered how that home might continue serving women in the future. She revealed plans for the residence to eventually become a space where women could come together for conversations and, when necessary, find refuge.

It was a fitting ambition for an apartment that had already spent decades functioning as much more than a private residence—a place where friendships were nurtured, political ideas were debated and pieces of feminist history were made

Steinem, who was born in Toledo, Ohio, in 1934, is described on her website as the “founder of New York and Ms. magazines, and is the author of An Unexpected Life, The Truth Will Set You Free, But First It Will Piss You Off, My Life on the Road, Moving Beyond Words, Revolution from Within, and Outrageous Acts and Everyday Rebellions, in addition to many collections and essays,” 

“She co-founded the National Women’s Political Caucus, the Ms. Foundation for Women, the Free to Be Foundation, and the Women’s Media Center in the United States. As links to other countries, she helped found Equality Now, Donor Direct Action, and Direct Impact Africa,” the biography added.

“Among many tributes and honors for her activism, in 2013 she was awarded the Presidential Medal of Freedom by President Barack Obama and in 2019, she received the Freedom Award from the National Civil Rights Museum,” the website continued, adding that “Gloria’s home is the heart of Gloria’s Foundation and has become renowned as a magnetic and life-changing center for feminist and activist thinkers from around the world.”

Steinem also “helped to found the Women’s Action Alliance, a pioneering national information center that specialized in nonsexist, multiracial children’s education, and the National Women’s Political Caucus, a group that continues to work to advance the numbers of pro-equality women in elected and appointed office at a national and state level.”

“She also co-founded the Women’s Media Center in 2004. She was president and co-founder of Voters for Choice, a pro-choice political action committee for twenty-five years, then with the Planned Parenthood Action Fund when it merged with VFC for the 2004 elections,” her website concluded.

In 2000, Steinem tied the knot to animal rights activist David Bale.

Three years later, Bale, the dad of actor Christian Bale, died from primary brain lymphoma.

She began her remarkable career as a journalist, having notably reported on the conditions inside Hugh Hefner’s Playboy palace.

“That speak-out was the beginning of activism for me,” Steinem, who had a secret illegal abortion at the age 22, told the Associated Press in 2022, recalling on the reversal of Roe v Wade. “Either our control over our own bodies is equal, regardless of sex or race, or we’re not living in a democracy.”

In 2020, Steinem’s life was featured in the film “The Glorias, A Life on The Road,” which was based on her 2015 memoir and starred Julianne Moore.

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Pat Boone is selling his Beverly Hills estate at a price much higher than “For a Penny.” 

The 92-year-old singer has listed his longtime home at 904 North Beverly Drive for just shy of $23 million, Mansion Global reported. Boone and his late wife Shirley, who died in 2019 at age 84, bought the property in 1960 for $159,000. 

Boone has lived there ever since, even hosting his friend and peer Elvis Presley for pool days and other visits in the 1960s. Besides Elvis, Boone welcomed other Hollywood A-listers like Gregory Peck and Zsa Zsa Gabor into his home. 

The listing marks the first time the estate has publicly hit the market after Boone unsuccessfully shopped it privately more than a decade ago. He listed it in 2014 as a private pocket listing before publicly offering $18.5 million and ultimately pulling it from the market, Robb Report reported.

“When we found this place, it wasn’t my first choice because it’s at the corner of Beverly Drive and Sunset Boulevard, but it was a big lot and a beautiful home with all the bedrooms and baths that we would need, plus a room over the garage that became their playroom on rainy days,” Boone told Mansion Global. 

At 92, the “Love Letters in the Sand” crooner is ready to downsize from his massive Beverly Hills manse. “I would probably do better in a smaller place here,” he told Mansion Global. “I don’t need a place this big, but I love it, and I still walk around and enjoy it all.”

Set on just over an acre in the Beverly Hills Flats, the 1939-built Colonial Revival home spans roughly 7,000 square feet with six bedrooms, seven bathrooms and a separate guest house. The estate includes formal living and dining rooms, a wood-paneled music room, a home office, a recreation room with a wet bar and pool table and a primary suite with dual bathrooms and a dressing room. Outside, the acre-plus lot has large lawns, mature trees, a brick-lined swimming pool, a basketball court and one-bedroom, one-bathroom guest house that the Boones added during their ownership. 

— Chris Malone Méndez

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“Keeping Up With the Kardashians” producer Jeff Jenkins is preparing to part ways with his longtime Los Angeles mansion—having brought the “Zen-inspired” retreat to the market for $1.78 million nearly two decades after he bought it.

Jenkins, whose producing credits also include “The Simple Life,” “Total Divas,” “Total Bellas,” “Bling Empire,” and “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives,” purchased the Hollywood Hills hideaway for $940,000 in 2007, according to records, just a few months before the Kardashian family‘s hit series premiered.

Tucked inside one of the area’s most discreet celebrity enclaves, the three-bedroom, three-bathroom residence offers a rare combination of privacy, tranquility, and proximity to some of the entertainment industry’s biggest names.

However, Jenkins explained to Realtor.com® that he is ready to leave behind that peace and quiet so that he can pursue his lifelong dream of living on the ocean—although he admitted that leaving the home will be incredibly bittersweet.

“The only reason I’m moving is because I’ve always wanted the chapter of living on the ocean in Southern California,” he explained. “Like Madonna, I grew up in Michigan in the snow. So, to wake up and hear the waves crashing and step outside onto the sand is a dream come true.”

However, he insisted that he is sad to leave behind the property, noting that he loves the dwelling for its prime location, which has given him the opportunity to enjoy serenity as well as proximity to all that Los Angeles has to offer.

“I love this property because it’s very private, surrounded by nature and wildlife—yet the freeway entrance is two minutes away,” he shared. “I’ve had deer in my backyard. I also love walking the 4-mile pedestrian-only path around Lake Hollywood for exercise.

“It’s just up the road and you never know who you’ll run into—movie stars, influencers, athletes, I’ve connected with them all.”

Jenkins added that the local neighborhood, an area known as the Hollywood Dell, is a prime place for those who want to immerse themselves in L.A.’s creativity, noting that it has long been viewed as an under-the-radar enclave for the city’s most talented residents.

“The Hollywood Dell is the best-kept secret in L.A.,” he shared. “My neighborhood is filled with artists and entertainers. It’s private but easily accessible. Not too bougie but not too edgy. Tons of classic Hollywood history. It’s perfect.”

Speaking about the property, listing agent Tomer Fridman of Christie’s International Real Estate Southern California explained, “The house is located in the Hollywood Dell, one of Los Angeles’ oldest neighborhoods. The minute you drive in, you feel a sense of history and place.

“The house offers the perfect backdrop for both entertaining and intimate gatherings. It just feels like a beautiful home in a gorgeous historic neighborhood.”

Behind a gated entry and dense landscaping, the home unfolds as a Zen-inspired sanctuary designed to create a seamless connection between indoor and outdoor living.

“Thoughtfully designed and impeccably maintained, the residence is concealed behind walls of lush landscaping, offering exceptional privacy and tranquility,” reads the listing.

While many Hollywood Hills homes focus on sweeping views and flashy amenities, this residence instead emphasizes calm and retreat.

At the center of the home is a dramatic two-story living room where soaring ceilings and expansive windows fill the space with natural light.

The airy gathering area serves as the heart of the residence and flows directly into a meditation courtyard and private garden, reinforcing the property’s wellness-focused design.

The indoor-outdoor layout continues throughout the home.

Large glass doors open onto multiple outdoor living spaces, allowing residents to move effortlessly between the home’s interior and its lush surroundings.

Mature landscaping provides an added layer of privacy, helping the property feel secluded despite its location in the middle of Los Angeles.

The kitchen is designed for both everyday living and entertaining, with generous prep space, modern finishes, and an adjacent dining area.

Nearby, a comfortable family room creates an inviting space for relaxing or hosting guests.

The primary suite serves as a private retreat within the home. Spacious and light-filled, it offers ample room for a sitting area and includes large walk-in closets.

“The luxurious primary suite is a true sanctuary, featuring dual walk-in closets and a spa-inspired bath designed for relaxation and comfort,” the listing notes.

The accompanying bathroom delivers a spa-like atmosphere, creating a peaceful escape from the demands of city life.

Two additional bedrooms provide flexibility for guests, family members, or a dedicated home office.

Combined with three full bathrooms, the layout is well-suited for both full-time living and entertaining visitors.

“Complete with abundant storage, including custom cedar-lined closets, this exceptional residence presents a rare opportunity to experience elevated living in one of Los Angeles’ most prestigious hillside neighborhoods,” adds the listing.

Of course, the home’s appeal extends beyond its walls. The neighborhood has long attracted celebrities seeking privacy while remaining close to Hollywood’s studios, restaurants, and nightlife.

Among the notable names who have lived nearby are musician Chris Brown and “Jackass” star Steve-O, while actress Eva Longoria and comedian Kathy Griffin have also called the area home.

For Jenkins, whose career has helped shape the reality television landscape for more than two decades, the property offered a fitting contrast to the often chaotic world of unscripted entertainment.

Instead of camera crews and constant drama, the Hollywood Hills residence is defined by serenity, privacy, and a connection to nature.

Now, with the home officially on the market for $1.78 million, a new owner will have the opportunity to enjoy the same peaceful retreat that has served as a refuge for one of reality TV’s most influential producers.

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Self-storage REIT Public Storage announced it will relocate its corporate headquarters to the Dallas-area city of Frisco from Glendale. The company has been headquartered in Southern California since its founding in 1972.

In a release, Public Storage said it will benefit from the “depth of talent and innovation” in North Texas, and it plans to maintain a long-term presence in Glendale. The relocation is part of PS4.0, which Public Storage described as “a generational leadership transition and strategic vision.” 

Natalia Johnson, president and chief digital and transformation officer for Public Storage, told the Dallas Business Journal that the company has nearly doubled its corporate presence in Texas to support its growth.

“The opportunity ahead for Public Storage has never been stronger,” said CFO and CIO Tom Boyle, who will become CEO effective April 1. “This company has a proven ability to outperform through cycles, deliver industry-leading margins driven by digital and AI advancement, and scale accretively in a fragmented landscape.”

Maintaining client relationships means hopefully selling them another house in the future, and representing them as the seller agent as well. As such, it’s imperative you guide them in all aspects of homeownership even in times when they are not buying or selling. One key topic is refinancing. Here are five mortgage refinancing mistakes to make sure they avoid before undertaking the process.

Not shopping for the best rate

While they may start the process with the bank holding their mortgage, quotes should be sought from multiple lenders. The rates, fees and terms of each refinance option should be carefully compared before making a decision. Hopefully you will have bank contacts to make the legwork easier for them, even if those banks don’t win out.

Not knowing how long they’ll stay there

It’s crucial to have at least a general estimate of how many more years they plan to stay in the house before refinancing, to ensure that the costs incurred are worth it. This can be determined by dividing the total loan costs by how much they will save each month over the course of repayment. Anyone planning to sell soon should not refinance.

Focusing only on the interest rate

The interest rate for the mortgage refinance is the number one factor, but there is something else to consider as well. A mortgage with a low rate and short term will have higher monthly payments, while one with a higher rate but longer term will have lower ones but higher overall costs since the interest will be paid over an extended period.

Not factoring in closing costs

Those who have never refinanced might think it’s just a matter of quick paperwork, but the process is more like buying the home all over again. Many of the closing costs, such as the application, origination and home appraisal fees will have to be paid anew, costing anywhere between 2-5% of the amount of the new loan.

The first day of this year’s National Reverse Mortgage Lenders Association (NRMLA) Annual Meeting and Expo in San Diego wound down with an announcement that marks the end of an era.

The association honored two of its most prominent past and present members with distinguished service awards. These were given to Peter Bell, NRMLA’s current CEO and former president, and Scott Norman, its former co-chair and current CEO of the Texas Mortgage Bankers Association (TMBA).

Notably, Bell also announced that he will be retiring from the association, although he will continue to work on issues related to affordable housing.

NRMLA will be separating from Bell’s association management company, Dworbell Inc., as part of the transition and will continue operating independently of it.

Four employees of NRMLA will become employees of law firm Weiner Brodsky Kider, which will continue serving as the association’s outside general counsel and will now provide administrative support services. NRMLA will continue to operate under the supervision and direction of its board of directors.

Bell, who has had a career in or near housing policy since 1976, has been involved with reverse mortgages in one way or another since the Home Equity Conversion Mortgage (HECM) program’s inception. In a 2020 interview, Bell told HousingWire’s Reverse Mortgage Daily (RMD) that he was in the room “on the day in 1987 of the mark-up of the bill that created the HECM program.”

He was instrumental in founding NRMLA in the 1990s, and he has served in the dual role of president and CEO for most of the association’s existence. He was in the Oval Office with President Barack Obama and then-U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) Secretary Shaun Donovan when the president signed the Reverse Mortgage Stabilization Act of 2013 into law.

In 2019, Bell stepped down from the president’s role at NRMLA, handing it off to Steve Irwin. He has remained as CEO since then but will step down effective Sept. 30.

Bell made the announcement on the event stage next to Federal Housing Administration (FHA) Commissioner Julia Gordon, whom he had just interviewed.

“After 28 years of representing the reverse mortgage industry and being engaged in all aspects of the industry’s issues, I decided to step down from being CEO to focus my own time on the other side of my business, which is the affordable housing industry,” Bell told RMD in San Diego.

“I’ve only been in the reverse mortgage industry for 28 years, but I’ve been in the affordable housing industry for 48 years, and I felt it was time for me to make that the center of my focus during my remaining working years.”

During the association’s business meeting, Bell was recognized with a distinguished service award for his key role in founding and serving NRMLA. Another distinguished service award was given to Norman, who served NRMLA in various capacities over the years, most recently as co-chair of its board of directors.

Norman stepped down from his role at reverse lender Finance of America and NRMLA earlier this year when he was hired as CEO of TMBA.

When asked about the recognition he received, Norman said he was humbled.

“My first reverse mortgage conference was almost 25 years ago to the day,” Norman said. “And I’ve had great mentors and developed great friendships. It’s been a real part of my life for 25 years, and I was very fortunate to start with Jim Mahoney and end with Kristen Sieffert.

“Along the way, I got to know the Peter Bells and the Steve Irwins, the Joe DeMarkeys and Mike Kents. So much of my personal and professional life has been associated with NRMLA, and to be recognized was incredibly humbling and a little emotional too.”

Norman also weighed in on Bell’s retirement, calling him a great mentor in the space.

“He invited me to my very first conference 25 years ago — in Naples, Florida, in November of 1999,” Norman said. “It’s somewhat bittersweet because I know how much time and effort he’s put into this industry, and the idea of protecting seniors while allowing them to utilize their own home equity for retirement.”

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Southern California Gas Co. is planning to move from its longtime headquarters after signing the largest office lease of the year in downtown Los Angeles.

SoCalGas will leave its namesake Gas Company Tower at 555 W. 5th St., where it has been a primary tenant since the building was completed in 1991, and move a block north to another skyscraper, at 350 S. Grand Ave.

The utility signed a long-term lease for nearly 200,000 square feet on eight floors in the Grand Avenue building on Bunker Hill often known as Two California Plaza, its new landlord said, and is expected to move by spring 2026 after building out the new offices. The gas company will also have an office on the ground floor to serve customers.

The Bunker Hill neighborhood has been a bright spot for office leasing in what has been an extended period of declining occupancy in downtown’s financial district since the pandemic ushered in a movement toward allowing employees to work from home.

Bunker Hill has benefited from having a mixture of building types, including offices, apartments and hotels, as well as being one of the city’s main cultural destinations with such institutions as Walt Disney Concert Hall, the Broad Museum and Colburn School of music.

“We are somewhat of an island in downtown,” said landlord Shaul Kuba, whose company CIM Group owns Two California Plaza. “There is so much culture, with a daytime and nighttime population.”

The building is part of an office, hotel and retail complex that dates to the 1980s, a period when Bunker Hill, a former residential neighborhood, was being remade from the ground up in a process of “urban renewal” meant to transform blighted neighborhoods.

With the arrival of SoCalGas, Two California Plaza will be home to two major Los Angeles institutions. City National Bank is already headquartered there and currently has its name affixed to the top. As part of the lease agreement with SoCalGas, its name will replace City National, Kuba said.

The new offices will be about two-thirds the size of SoCalGas’s current space in the Gas Company Tower. A spokeswoman for the utility, Erica Berardi, did not address why the company is moving but said its current lease expires at the end of 2026.

“SoCalGas is excited to maintain our headquarters in downtown Los Angeles, where we have a long history as one of the area’s largest tenants,” she said.

The lease is the largest in downtown Los Angeles this year, according to analysis from Raise Commercial Real Estate.

The utility’s roots in downtown date to the 1800s. It is the largest gas distribution utility in the United States, serving about 21 million customers across 24,000 square miles of Central and Southern California.

In a separate transaction, the Gas Company Tower is in the process of being sold. The county of Los Angeles has tentatively agreed to buy the prominent office skyscraper near the historic Millennium Biltmore Hotel for $215 million in a foreclosure sale that could take months to complete.

The Board of Supervisors must still approve the purchase, and the county has begun the due diligence process of examining the property for possible structural problems or other issues before finalizing the transaction.