HomeMy WebLinkAboutCC 1998-12-08 Discussion Item (6)INTER-Or:FICE ME,NIORa`IDUM
C
onorable Mayor and Members
e City Commission
06
Donald H. Warshaw
City Manager
DEC 4 098
Federal Funding for
Historic Preservation Projects
Follow-up to City Commission
Meeting of November 17, 1998
The following information is provided in response to the City Commission's inquiry regarding a
comparison of funding sources available to support historic preservation projects. The U.S.
Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) and the U.S. Department of the Interior are
the primary federal funding sources available for historic preservation projects.
Under the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), historic preservation is an eligible activity for the use
of Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) funds to rehabilitate, preserve, or restore publicly
or privately owned historic property. 24 CFR 570.202 (d) broadly defines historic properties as "those
sites or structures that are either listed in or eligible to be listed in the National Register of Historic
Places, listed in a State or local inventory of historic places, or designated as a State or local landmark
or historic district by appropriate law or ordinance."
The CDBG regulations provide flexibility for local government to determine specific historic
properties for CDBG assisted rehabilitation, preservation and restoration activities. It should be further
noted that the regulations specifically prohibit the use of CDBG under the historic preservation
category for the general conduct of goverment.
Federal historic preservation grants are also available through the Department of the Interior, but these
grants are administered by the State of Florida, Department of State, Division of Historical Resources.
Grants for acquisition and development projects are limited and generally range between $15,000 -
20,000 in Florida. Eligible applicants include government entities or non-profit organizations and
funds are awarded with a 50150 match requirement.
The State also has a Special Category grants program that the Department of State includes in its
annual budget request to the State legislature for historic preservation grants exceeding $50,000.
Preference for these grants is given to projects with a local match equal or greater than the amount
requested. Government entities and non-profit organizations are eligible to compete for these grants
which generally range between $50,000-250,000.
State grants in both categories are evaluated on a competitive basis by the Florida Historic Preservation
:advisory Council. This Council is comprised of twelve (12) members appointed by the Secretary of
State. Applications are reviewed and ranked based on the criteria included in Chapter 1A-35.008 of
the Florida Administrative Code (attached). Although it is not required that a property be listed or
eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places, the property's degree of historical
significance iG heavily weighted by the Council.
As requested by the City Commission, the above information provides an overview of federal grant
sources available for historic preservation projects.
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