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| Save Our Heritage Organisation (SOHO) | |
|---|---|
| Name | Save Our Heritage Organisation |
| Founded | 1969 |
| Type | Nonprofit historic preservation |
| Headquarters | San Diego, California |
Save Our Heritage Organisation (SOHO) Save Our Heritage Organisation (SOHO) is a nonprofit historic preservation group based in San Diego, California, founded in 1969. The organization engages in preservation, restoration, advocacy, and education related to historic buildings and cultural landscapes across Southern California. SOHO works with local, state, and national entities to protect architectural heritage and promote public awareness.
SOHO emerged amid preservation movements associated with the 1960s urban renewal debates involving figures like Jane Jacobs, events such as the demolition of the Penn Station and legislative responses including the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966. Early campaigns connected with civic institutions like the San Diego Historical Society and municipal bodies such as the San Diego City Council. Throughout the 1970s and 1980s SOHO collaborated with agencies linked to the National Park Service, engaged with programs influenced by the Secretary of the Interior standards, and coordinated with advocacy networks including the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the California Historical Society. Landmark cases in the 1990s and 2000s placed SOHO in dialogue with regional planning authorities like the San Diego County Board of Supervisors and federal programs such as the Historic Preservation Fund.
SOHO’s mission emphasizes preservation aligned with policies shaped by the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966, principles used by the Secretary of the Interior and standards promoted by the National Park Service. Goals include safeguarding architectural resources such as vernacular Victorian houses, Mission Revival edifices, and examples of Art Deco and Craftsman design; working with preservation organizations like the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the California Preservation Foundation; and engaging cultural institutions including the Library of Congress and the California State Parks system to document endangered properties.
SOHO manages restoration projects similar in scope to efforts by the Historic Charleston Foundation and the San Francisco Heritage program. Projects often involve technical approaches promoted by the National Park Service preservation briefs and the Secretary of the Interior rehabilitation guidelines, consulting specialists from institutions like the Getty Conservation Institute and universities such as the University of California, San Diego and the San Diego State University. Programs include building stabilization, adaptive reuse plans comparable to those implemented by the Boston Preservation Alliance and the Los Angeles Conservancy, and surveys modeled after the Historic American Buildings Survey and the Historic American Engineering Record.
SOHO engages in advocacy that intersects with municipal planning processes handled by the San Diego Planning Commission and statewide legal frameworks like the California Environmental Quality Act. The organization has participated in designation efforts for local landmarks and districts under the purview of bodies such as the San Diego Historical Resources Board and has influenced ordinance revisions that parallel actions by the Los Angeles Cultural Heritage Commission. SOHO’s policy work includes submitting comments to agencies including the National Park Service and coordinating with coalitions such as the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the California Preservation Foundation on statewide initiatives.
Education programs draw on models used by the Smithsonian Institution and the Library of Congress to develop tours, lectures, and publications. SOHO offers walking tours comparable to those organized by Historic Seattle and the Bostonian Society, school partnerships like collaborations between the San Diego Unified School District and local museums, and volunteer stewardship activities resembling programs at the American Battlefield Trust. Public presentations often feature scholars from the University of California, Berkeley, practitioners from the Getty Conservation Institute, and authors associated with the Journal of the Society of Architectural Historians.
SOHO operates as a nonprofit entity interacting with funders and partners such as the National Endowment for the Humanities, the National Endowment for the Arts, private foundations like the Graham Foundation, and local philanthropic institutions similar to the San Diego Foundation. Its board and staff coordinate with preservation professionals educated at institutions like the University of Southern California and the California State University system, and they liaise with municipal departments including the San Diego Development Services Department and regional heritage commissions. Revenue sources include grants, membership dues, fundraising events modeled on those by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, and project-specific donations from corporate partners and individual benefactors such as historic preservation patrons comparable to those supporting the Preservation Society of Charleston.
SOHO has been involved with properties and campaigns that reflect Southern California’s architectural diversity, ranging from Victorian cottages and Mission Revival missions to Art Deco theaters and Craftsman bungalows. Case studies mirror restoration efforts seen at sites like the Hotel Del Coronado, the Whaley House, and adaptive reuse projects similar to the Gaslamp Quarter (San Diego) revitalization. Collaborative successes parallel work by the Los Angeles Conservancy, the Historical Society of Southern California, and the National Trust for Historic Preservation, showcasing partnerships with academic, governmental, and community organizations to preserve regional heritage.
Category:Historic preservation organizations in the United States