Buying a Home in an Historic District
Your new home is located within a neighborhood listed as in a Historic District and registered with the National Register of Historic Places. Your home is one with significance, and carries potential value as property values rise. Did you know that there is lower turnover of homes when people are living in the historic districts? Makes sense when you think that people buying this type of home was a committment from the start and they have staying power to put in all that effort along with committed people are more apt to stay put than keep changing their lifestyles.
Playing By the Rules
National Register inclusion is an acknowledgment of a property's importance to its community, state, or the nation. Some homebuyers may be anxious about this designation from the National Park Service, fearing infringement of their property rights. These concerns are unfounded, as long as the work receives no federal money, and requires no federal license or permit. Owners are under no obligation to restore their property, or to open their doors to the public.
Many municipalities, however, have designated design control districts in areas that have been identified as having particular historic, architectural, scenic, cultural, or visual significance. Buildings in these areas may be subject to review for any proposed alteration, addition, or demolition.
A prospective homebuyer of a property within an established historic district would be well advised to visit the local planning and zoning office to determine what guidelines may apply to them. Preservation ordinance helps homeowners protect their investment by preserving the historic character of their neighborhoods. Review of any project may run the gamut from a cursory evaluation by a zoning administrator to review by a secondary commission that advises specifically on questions of historic sensitivity and architectural compatibility.
For certain types of work, homeowners may need to secure a permit called a Certificate of Appropriateness (C.O.A.), or Permit for Minor Work from their planning office or historic review board. Communities that rely on heritage tourism frequently have more stringent review procedures. Review only applies to the exterior of any structure in an historic district, and does not affect any interior changes.
Some historic district commissions may require replacement of damaged materials in kind, that is, with material or design features original to the building. While the alteration of an historic home may require specific or expensive materials or craftsmanship, it will be balanced with the likelihood that the investment will hold. Additionally, your neighbor's protected property is also less likely to be altered in a manner that might reduce your property value.
Preservation Resources
In some instances buildings listed as contributing resources on the National Register may be eligible for limited financial aid through grants, loans, or tax incentives. The Federal Government currently limits tax credit opportunities to structures that are income producing (rather than strictly residential). Preservation organizations are another resource for modest financial assistance. These arrangements can lessen property-tax burden while providing for the preservation, protection, and maintenance for your historic property.
Programs differ from one state to another, so check with your State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO), local planning agency, or community historical society.
Florida Historical Commission
The Florida Historical Commission (FHC) was established by the 2001 Florida Legislature (Chapter 267.0612, Florida Statutes) to enhance public participation and involvement in the preservation and protection of the state's historic and archaeological sites and properties.
The Commission advises and assists the Division of Historical Resources in carrying out the programs, duties and responsibilities of the Division. Seven members of the Commission are appointed by the Governor in consultation with the Secretary of State, two by the President of the Florida Senate and two by the Speaker of the Florida House of Representatives.
The members are responsible for reviewing and ranking Special Category Historic Preservation Grant applications; five members of the FHC also meet as Florida's National Register Review Board to review and vote on proposed nominations to the National Register of Historic Places. In addition, the Commission exists to advise with regard to policy and preservation needs. Members of the FHC are considered to be experts in their respective fields, with the members representing the following:
Of the 7 members appointed by the Governor,
- 1 member must be a licensed architect with expertise in historic preservation & architectural history
- 1 member must be a professional historian in the field of American history
- 1 member must be a professional architectural historian
- 1 member must be an archaeologist specializing in the field of prehistory
- 1 member must be an archaeologist specializing in the historic period.
- The remaining 2 members appointed by the Governor and the 2 members appointed by the President of the Senate and the Speaker of the House of Representatives, respectively, must be representatives of the general public with demonstrated interest in the preservation of Florida's historical and archaeological heritage.
Current members of the FHC include: educators in Florida's university system, authors, the principal of a cultural resource management firm, and citizens who have devoted personal and professional lives to protecting and preserving Florida's historic resources.