Historic Status Can Mean a Happy Reversal of Fortune

The January Northridge earthquake seemed to deal a fatal blow to the San Fernando bungalow that has been home to Melvin and Esther Benson for 43 years. Their Hagar Street residence--built in 1912 with non-reinforced concrete blocks--was red-tagged and faced probable demolition.

The fact that the Bensons’ two-bedroom, one-bath house was more than 50 years old meant that it had to be reviewed for any historical significance before demolition funds were provided by the Federal Emergency Management Agency. As a result, local preservationists found out about the pending demolition, and now the Bensons have qualified for grant money to rebuild their home from Historic Preservation Partners for Earthquake Response, a coalition of funding resources that includes the U. S. Department of the Interior, First Interstate Bank and several historic preservation groups.

This old house isn’t just any old house. It is considered a prime example of the ornamental block construction style that became popular just after the turn of the century. Various ornamental molds were used to cast the blocks used to build the Bensons’ home. While today’s concrete blocks are usually plain and boring, the concrete blocks of 90 years ago were made in a wide variety of designs.

The Bensons knew that their house was old, but not that it was eligible for inclusion on the venerable National Register of Historic Places. This eligibility is turning out to be a windfall for the Bensons. They will soon receive a grant of about $68,000 to repair and rehabilitate their home.

There are many other property owners in the San Fernando Valley who own historic homes and don’t even know it, said Pam O’Connor, project manager for Historic Preservation Partners for Earthquake Response. “There are people who might not realize that there are special programs for historic buildings and that their property is a historic one,” O’Connor said. “Historic preservation has become much more inclusive of all sorts of buildings.”

O’Connor’s organization--which operates out of the offices of the Los Angeles Conservancy, a nonprofit group dedicated to historic preservation--has budgeted about $700,000 in technical assistance grants and another $3 million in so-called Bricks and Mortar grants, much of which is still available. This money will go to help owners of historic buildings fix some of the damage wrought by the Northridge temblor.

To qualify for a grant, a building doesn’t have to be on the National Register of Historic Places, but must merely be deemed “eligible” by preservationists. So far, there have been only a handful of inquiries by property owners in the San Fernando Valley, O’Connor said. “We need help in getting the word out about our grants.”

For properties that may not qualify for a grant, O’Connor said, “we have pro-bono architects who have volunteered their time to help and advise people about repair strategies for homes that have some historic value.”

“There are more historic buildings in the Valley than most people realize,” said attorney William Delvac, a principal partner in Historic Resources Group, a Hollywood consulting firm. A property can be historic for a variety of reasons, Delvac said. It may be historic based on a significant architectural style, a famous architect’s involvement in the design or the fact that it was owned or built by someone of renown. Anything over 50 years old has the potential to qualify.

There are a number of possible historic designations, Delvac explained. The most important of these designations is listing in the U. S. Department of the Interior’s National Register of Historic Places. The state is currently in the process of compiling a California Register of Historical Resources. Various local governments may have their own listings. Los Angeles, for example, has a Historic-Cultural Monument list that includes structures recommended by the city’s Cultural Heritage Commission.

While there are only about 15 nationally registered buildings in the Valley, Delvac believes that there are many more buildings that would qualify for either the national list or for the state or city lists. “The Valley doesn’t have block after block of historic properties, but there still are many important older buildings,” he said.

Being on a list of historic properties can mean more than mere cachet, Delvac said. Properties that are not owner-occupied and that are eligible for the National Register may enjoy certain federal income tax credits for rehabilitation work. A building recognized in California as historic may also be able to take advantage of the state’s more lenient Historic Building Code when major repair work is undertaken. Various preservation groups and foundations have small grant programs, and historic properties may even qualify for property tax relief. Property owners in Los Angeles who think they have a historic property can inquire about possible relief under state law.

For every benefit, of course, there is usually a burden. “If you have a building that is on a historic list, you often have to go through hoops if you want to make major changes to it,” said Jim Hicks, an attorney for preservationists at the Los Angeles law firm Andrews & Kurth.

The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 requires federal agencies to take into account the adverse effects of their undertakings on historic properties. It is because of this law that FEMA has had to inquire into the possible historical significance of properties for which it has been asked to fund a demolition.

The Historic Preservation Partners are offering grants of up to $10,000 for technical assistance, and repair and rehab grants of up to about $250,000 for qualified property owners. Work must be completed by September, 1995, and property owners must agree to rehabilitate their building in a way that is sensitive to the historical features of the building. Owners who receive the so-called Bricks and Mortar grants must also sign a covenant not to demolish for a period of five to 20 years. For more information, call (213) 623-CITY.