|
Breaking Down Barriers: Achieving Inclusive Historic Preservation Policies
in San Diego
By Bruce Coons
May/June 2023
 Residential homes along Evans Street and National Avenue. Photo by Nelvin C. Cepeda/The San Diego Union-Tribune
We need to see a broader application of historic preservation policies to include structures and properties that is more inclusive of lower income and ethnically diverse neighborhoods, not just those that are well heeled and can afford the expensive designation process.
The City of San Diego designation process does not allow those with limited income to apply for designation because, in most cases, the home must be restored first before it can qualify for designation. The process has become onerous due to the high degree of physical integrity required of the structure to apply for the Mills Act, which may offer property tax relief, and the high fees charged for applying and producing the complex historic designation report.
This can result in the exclusion of historically significant sites that may have undergone physical changes over time, but still hold cultural and social value to a community. For example, a building that was once a significant community gathering place, but has since been renovated and repurposed may be deemed ineligible for historic designation because its physical features no longer match its original appearance.
“By focusing on aesthetic physical features and using a conception of historical ‘integrity’ that prizes physical continuity, historic preservation laws exclude places that may have substantial history but have been deprived of the resources to create and maintain aesthetic physical features. Indeed, these excluded places may have preserved their history through other means, such as through their residents,” wrote Alden A. Fletcher in “Forced Betting the Farm: How Historic Preservation Law Fails Poor and Nonwhite Communities,” an article published by The Georgetown Law Journal in March 2023.
In most other California jurisdictions that have adopted the Mills Act, it is used to help rehabilitate and restore historic structures that require substantial work. That is, after all, the intent of the Act. The City of San Diego appears to be unique in requiring the building to be restored prior to designation and being eligible for a ten-year Mills Act contract.
We ask the City and the County to recognize the difficulties with the "integrity" element of the historic designation process. Integrity refers to a building's ability to convey its historical significance through its physical features only. This definition of integrity can be exclusionary, particularly for communities of color, whose historic sites may not conform to traditional Eurocentric notions of historical significance.
SOHO is calling for a more inclusive definition of integrity that considers the distinct social and cultural realities of a place, rather than simply its physical features.
For everyone to have access to the benefits of historic designation and the potential property tax relief program, SOHO respectfully recommends to the already overburdened City and County historical resources staffs that the time is overdue to create a program for low-income historic house owners to help ease the financial burden of owning a historic property.
We understand that there is funding for affordable housing available to the City and County of San Diego and to various housing organizations. One of the best ways to provide affordable housing is to help people stay in their already affordable homes.
Recommendations and ideas for the City of San Diego historic resources and planning department to consider to achieve better equity for lower- and middle-income historic house owners:
- Provide low-interest loans or grants to low-income historic homeowners for repairs and preservation work. Programs like this can help to cover the costs of maintaining and preserving their homes, and protecting their property values.
- Encourage the preservation of historic homes in low-income neighborhoods by offering incentives to developers. Incentives can help ensure that historic homes in these neighborhoods are not torn down or significantly altered.
- Create a task force or committee made up of city staff, community members, and historic preservation experts to protect historic resources in these neighborhoods and assist historic homeowners. This group could be responsible for identifying and prioritizing historic resources in these neighborhoods, developing and implementing programs and incentives to assist homeowners in preserving these resources, and raising awareness about the importance and benefits of historic preservation.
- Wave all fees associated with designation and Mills Act applications for low-income applicants.
- Develop a streamlined process for low-income historic house and property owners to apply for and receive historic designation, possibly a fast-track historic review program that expedites the designation process for qualifying historic properties.
- Create a mentorship program for low-income historic house owners to connect with more experienced historic property owners for guidance and support. Create a network of volunteer contractors and tradespeople who can provide pro bono or reduced-cost services to these historic house owners.
- Work with the San Diego Housing Commission (SDHC) to provide affordable housing options for low-income historic house owners who may be at risk of losing their homes.
- Create a low-cost or no-cost technical assistance program for low-income historic house and commercial building owners to provide guidance on building codes, zoning laws, and other regulatory requirements. Offer free or subsidized education and training opportunities for historic house and building owners on how to properly maintain and preserve their properties. Establish a tool lending “library.”
- Encourage community engagement and participation in the preservation and maintenance of local historic resources through public education and multigenerational outreach programs.
Cities can partner with non-profit organizations such as community development corporations or preservation advocacy groups to provide resources and support to lower-income historic homeowners. For example, the City of Seattle partners with Historic Seattle, a non-profit that provides technical assistance and advocacy for historic preservation.
Some other cities with programs specifically aimed at lower-income historic homeowners include San Francisco, New Orleans, and Philadelphia. These programs offer financial incentives, technical assistance, and educational opportunities to help lower-income homeowners preserve their historic homes. By implementing similar programs, San Diego has the opportunity to promote inclusivity and support the preservation of its diverse architectural history for generations to come.
|
2024
2023
2022
2021
2020
2019
2018
2017
2016
2015
|
