California Office of Historic Preservation
April 21 is John Muir Day, marking the anniversary of the renowned conservationist's birth, and celebrating his life's work on behalf of preserving the natural heritage of California and beyond. Muir's words and actions have inspired conservation efforts around the world. Our banner image is of the John Muir National Historic Site, Martinez, California, which preserves the house and farm that were home to Muir, his wife Louisa "Louie" Strentzel Muir, and their two daughters. The Muir property is listed on the National Register of Historic Places and is California Historical Landmark No. 312. Also celebrated this month, on  April 22, is Earth Day , an opportunity to participate in efforts to restore, repair, and maintain the natural resources that enrich our collective heritage. 
(Photo courtesy of the National Park Service)  
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Out and About on Behalf of Historic Preservation

March proved a busy month  for Office of Historic Preservation (OHP) staff traveling throughout California on behalf of preservation.

Lucinda Woodward, Amanda Blosser, and Shannon Lauchner from our Local Government Unit braved a plane flight through wildly turbulent airspace to conduct a Local Government Preservation Workshop in Long Beach. The free workshops, held several times each year and hosted by local communities statewide, provide an opportunity to share information and best practices on a variety of preservation topics beneficial to local governments.  Learn more about this important workshop series and consider hosting a workshop in your community!

The month of March also saw OHP staff members Kathleen Forrest and Brendon Greenaway attending the U.S. Forest Service (USFS) and Bureau of Land Management (BLM) meetings in San Diego, held in conjunction with the Society for California Archaeology's (SCA) Annual Meeting. Kathleen and Brendon conduct Section 106 reviews on USFS and BLM projects. The San Diego meeting provided an opportunity to meet with Forest Service and BLM staff as they discussed implementation of programmatic agreements and other preservation related issues. Learn more about Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act, and its role in protecting and preserving California's  resources.


In the last week of March, State Historic Preservation Officer (SHPO) Juli anne Polanco toured Yosemite National Park with newly appointed Superintendent Michael Reynolds and staff to discuss the park's historic and cultural resources and proposed projects.  SHPO Polanco and Superintendent Reynolds also spent time with University of Oregon landscape architecture students as they began field work to re-imagine the area around the Valley's visitor center. 


(Images: Long Beach workshop, courtesy of the City of Long Beach; Yosemite, courtesy of Office of Historic Preservation)

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Federal Historic Tax Report Available from the NPS

The National Park Service (NPS) is pleased to announce the publication of the Federal Tax Incentives for Rehabilitating Historic Buildings Annual Report for Fiscal Year 2017. The report provides an overview of the program as well as highlighting some successful tax incentive projects (including the Carson Block Building in Eureka, California). For fiscal year 2017, the NPS approved 1,501 proposed projects, and certified 1,035 completed projects. 

Visit our Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives webpage to learn more about this valuable program.

News
News and Updates

New ACHP Chairman Nominated
President Trump announced his intent to nominate Aimee Jorjani as Chairman of the  Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP). Ms. Jorjani would be the first full-time chairman of the ACHP since a 2016 amendment to the National Historic Preservation Act converted the position from part-time to full-time. Ms. Jorjani, if confirmed by the Senate, will serve a four year term, succeeding Milford Wayne Donaldson who has served as Chairman since 2010. Read the  press release here.


Nomination Deadline is Approaching for Governor's Awards 
The deadline is fast approaching for submitting nominations for the  2018 Governor's Historic Preservation Awards! Do you know of a person, project, organization, or agency whose work exemplifies the best in historic preservation? Now is the time to recognize them!  Nominations are due April 16, 2018.


Early Deadline Also Approaching for CPF Awards
The early nomination deadline is approaching for the California Preservation Foundation (CPF)  2018 Preservation Design Awards. The awards recognize excellence in projects large and small, sustainable efforts, and reports.  Early deadline for nominations is April 30, 2018, with  final submission required by May 31, 2018.


Still Time to Apply for CLG Grants
The Local Government and Environmental Review Unit of the OHP is pleased to announce that the  2018-2019 Certified Local Government Grant Application Manual is now available through our website. The manual provides information and guidance to local governments seeking funding assistance for a variety of local preservation efforts. The 
application deadline for 2018-2019 grants is May 1, 2018. 


Collections Preservation Grants from the NEH
Created in 2000, the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH)  Preservation Assistance Grants provide support to small and mid-sized institutions to improve their ability to preserve and care for significant humanities collections. The  deadline for grant applications is May 1, 2018.


Tribal Heritage Grants Available from the NPS
The National Park Service (NPS) is now accepting applications for Tribal Heritage Grants to support the preservation of tribal resources and cultural traditions. Federally recognized tribes, Alaskan Native Groups, and Native Hawaiian Organizations are eligible to apply. The application deadline is May 11, 2018.


Next SHRC Meeting is Set for May 17 in Palo Alto
The next meeting of the State Historical Resources Commission (SHRC) is set for May 17, 2018, in Palo Alto. The meeting will be held in conjunction with the California Preservation Foundation Annual Conference. Visit our Pending Nominations page to view a list and description of properties whose nominations are scheduled to be heard at the meeting.  
Events
Events and Education

California Preservation Foundation Webinars


Visit the CPF website for a full listing of education and training opportunities.


Diversity Scholarships Available from the NTHP
The National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP) is holding their annual PastForward Conference in San Francisco this year, November 13-16. As in years past, the NTHP is awarding Diversity Scholarships to support attendance to the conference. The scholarships are offered to emerging preservation professionals representing or working in, or with, an underrepresented community. The deadline to apply is May 1, 2018.


CPF Annual Conference, Palo Alto, May 17-20
The  annual conference of the  California Preservation Foundation (CPF) will take place in Palo Alto, May 17-20, 2018. "Deep Roots in Dynamic Times" is this year's theme, with sessions that address the challenges and opportunities facing historic preservation in a time of rapid change.  Early registration ends April 30.


Keeping History Above Water Workshop, Palo Alto, May 17
The California Preservation Foundation (CPF), in conjunction with their annual conference, will host a one-day workshop addressing how to identify, prioritize, and adapt historic resources to threats posed by climate change and natural disasters. CPF is honored to host the first West Coast forum of the national conference Keeping History Above Water, following on the success of the 2016 inaugural forum in Newport, Rhode Island, and the second forum in 2017 in Annapolis, Maryland. 


Seminars Offered by the NPI
The National Preservation Institute is offering a number of seminars in California during the months of March and April. The seminars cover topics ranging from NAGPRA, to Section 106, NEPA compliance, TCPs, and more. 

DidYouKnow
Did You Know....

....the Mills Act Program is the single most important economic incentive program in California for the restoration and preservation of qualified historic buildings by private property owners. Owners enter into Mills Act contracts with their local government to maintain and rehabilitate the historic character of their properties and in return receive property tax relief. Currently, 80 cities and 9 counties participate in the program. Is your city or county one of them? Visit our Mills Act page to learn more about the program and view a list of participating municipalities. 

State Historical Resources Commission Meetings
Scheduled for 2018:

February 2 - Sacramento
May 17 - Palo Alto (in conjunction with the California Preservation Foundation Conference)
August 3 - (Location to be Determined)
October 26 - (Location to be Determined)

Learn More about Commission meetings,  actions, and responsibilities.