The flip side of historic preservation . . .
From The Walk-Through, the real estate weblog of the New York Times:
Tim and Laura Dierks were interested in buying this small Brooklyn house until they realized the implications of its location, in the Carroll Gardens Historic District. If they wanted to add a top floor, they would have to wade through an extra layer of bureaucracy, gaining approval from the Landmarks Preservation Commission. There was no guarantee this would happen.
This is a risk in Phoenix, too. As much as we might love the legacy housing we have managed to preserve, the homes that have received historic designation are as much ossified as protected. Significant changes, at least any that might be visible from the street, are essentially forbidden. That’s as may be, but we also have very few opportunities in the Central Corridor for contemporary architects to create new classics.
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I think you have received some wrong information about historic designation and wanted to help clear things up. Design review of historic homes is triggered by local historic district designation, not state or National Register listing.
The two most common designations are local designation (Phoenix Historic Property Register) and national (National Register). The National Register listing is honorary, and qualifies owner-occupied historic home owners to apply for substantial local prpoerty tax reductions. There is no related federal government review of your home, and there are no restrictions or encumbrances relating to mortgages.
To qualify for the local property tax reduction, your house has to retain its historic character (particularly from street visible vantage points), but this is a voluntary program, and again does not in any way affect your mortgage or require federal government review. If an owner makes a substantial inappropriate change to the front of their house, then it will be disqualified from the tax reduction program. BUT no one will make you correct the change (provided it was legally permitted) – it’s your choice.
The State Historic Preservation Office oversees the tax reduction program. If historic property owners apply to the City for an exterior rehabilitation grant (e.g., to repair your historic wood windows or re-open an enclosed front porch), that will require consent by the mortgage company (lender) for the city to place a conservation easement on the property (the easement is a condition of receiving the grant), since the easement will be attached to your title in exchange for receipt of public funds. BUT that is only for owners who choose to apply for grants from the Phoenix Historic Preservation Office (and again it has nothing to do with National Register listing).
I am concerned that the information you are relaying on your website is misleading and encourage you to delete it. Some Realtors marketing historic homes have links to our office’s web site which is http://www.phoenix.gov/historic which we would also encourage you to do.
I am happy to answer any questions any current or prospective historic home owner may have (602-261-8699). Thanks.
Barbara Stocklin
City of Phoenix
Historic Preservation Office
602-262-7468
fax 602-534-4571
barbara.stocklin@phoenix.gov