Certified Local Government

Certified Local Government
Name	Certified Local Government
Established	1980
Jurisdiction	United States
Administered by	National Park Service
Related legislation	National Historic Preservation Act of 1966

Certified Local Government The Certified Local Government program connects local preservation bodies with federal and state entities to promote protection of historic resources. It integrates municipal preservation commissions, state historic preservation offices, and the National Park Service to coordinate surveys, nominations, and stewardship of historic properties. The program functions within the framework of federal law and partners with multiple institutions, agencies, and professional organizations to implement preservation policy and grants.

Overview

The program was launched to expand implementation of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 through partnerships among local commissions, State Historic Preservation Offices, and the National Park Service. Participating localities must meet standards aligned with practices endorsed by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, professional bodies such as the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and preservation networks including the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers. The initiative intersects with federal programs like the Historic Preservation Fund and complements listings on the National Register of Historic Places and designations such as National Historic Landmark.

Program Structure and Requirements

Certification requires a local government to establish a qualified historic preservation review commission, maintain a system for surveying local resources, keep up-to-date inventories compatible with the National Register of Historic Places criteria, and adopt local preservation ordinances consistent with state law. The program operates through agreements between each locality and the relevant State Historic Preservation Office under oversight from the National Park Service. Requirements mirror professional standards set by organizations such as the American Institute for Conservation, the Society of American Archivists, and the American Planning Association. Certification also calls for opportunities for public participation guided by precedents like the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969 and consultation practices employed by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.

Roles and Responsibilities

Local historic preservation commissions administer survey, designation, and review processes for projects affecting designated properties. State Historic Preservation Offices coordinate technical assistance, maintain statewide data systems, and review nominations to the National Register of Historic Places and National Historic Landmark nominations. The National Park Service provides programmatic guidance, training, and oversight; federal agencies consult with SHPOs and certified local entities under policies influenced by the Historic Preservation Fund and the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. Nonprofit partners such as the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the Historic New England, and the Preservation Foundation of Palm Beach often provide advocacy, technical guidance, and model ordinances. Architectural and planning professionals from institutions like the American Institute of Architects and the American Planning Association frequently collaborate on design review and regulatory frameworks.

Funding and Grants

Certified localities become eligible to compete for allocation from the federal Historic Preservation Fund, which is administered by the National Park Service in coordination with State Historic Preservation Offices. Grants typically support historic resource surveys, National Register nominations, preservation planning, and educational outreach, and are often leveraged with funds from state agencies, local governments, and foundations such as the Kresge Foundation and the Andrew W. Mellon Foundation. Partnerships with regional entities like the Mid-America Regional Council or the Northeast Regional Preservation Office can pool resources for rehabilitation projects that utilize tax incentives akin to the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives Program. Project management may involve collaboration with museums and cultural institutions such as the Smithsonian Institution and the Library of Congress for archival and interpretive components.

Historic Preservation Activities and Outcomes

Certified local governments conduct surveys that identify districts and individual properties suitable for nomination to the National Register of Historic Places, leading to increased documentation of sites tied to events such as the Civil Rights Movement and architectural movements documented by figures like Frank Lloyd Wright and Louis Sullivan. Outcomes include adoption of local historic district ordinances modeled after precedents in cities like Charleston, South Carolina, Savannah, Georgia, and Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, as well as preservation-assisted revitalization projects comparable to efforts in Baltimore, Maryland and New Orleans, Louisiana. Certified programs often facilitate rehabilitations that use standards from the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties and produce educational initiatives in collaboration with universities such as University of Virginia and Columbia University.

Criticisms and Challenges

Critics argue that certification can concentrate resources in affluent communities, echoing critiques leveled at larger initiatives like the Urban Renewal era and disparities identified by scholars affiliated with institutions such as Harvard University and Princeton University. Challenges include limited funding from the Historic Preservation Fund, uneven capacity across municipalities, and conflicts with development pressures seen in regions like Silicon Valley and South Florida. Tensions arise between preservation goals and property owners' rights, occasionally provoking litigation referencing case law from courts such as the United States Supreme Court and the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit. Equity-focused advocates and organizations including the National Trust for Historic Preservation and grassroots groups linked to the Equal Justice Initiative call for reforms to ensure broader representation of under-documented communities and to align preservation outcomes with social justice objectives.

Category:Historic preservation in the United States