Help SAVE the Mills Act Program and Historical Designation in the City of San Diego.

Dear friends of Historic Preservation,
On Friday April 18, 2008 the Historic Resources Board will conducted a workshop on the 12th floor of the City Admin. Building to take public testimony about the Mayor Sander’s proposal to end most historic preservation in San Diego, including Mills Act contracts. This workshop was important to historic preservation.
The Neighborhood Historic Preservation Coalition met to discuss the status and future of historic preservation. The Coalition comprises community and historic preservation groups throughout San Diego including SOHO, Bankers Hill/Park West Community Association, Heart of Kensington, Hillcrest History Guild, La Jolla Historical Society, Mission Hills Heritage, University Heights Historical Society; and interested parties.
They spoke in support of these key items:
1 – Keep the Mills Act program as it is now. It works well and should be left to continue working well.
2 – Increase the Historic Resources staff to cope with the backlog of historic designation nominations on hand and other demands on the staff.
3 – Supervise Mills Act contracts to encourage historic property owners keep their properties in good shape.  This may enable some sensible modifications to Mills Act contracts or enforcing contracts appropriately when properties are not being maintained properly.
Historic preservation was in the balance and the Coalition urged preservationists to help keep it operating in San Diego’s behalf.

The Mayor proposal with tweaks by City Council was voted in adding a 5-year Mills Act fee and and the firing of the last Historical Certified Resource Staffer in Development Serves.