The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, an independent federal agency responsible for promoting the preservation, enhancement, and sustainable use of our nation’s diverse historic resources, recently invited public feedback regarding the application and interpretation of the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties and associated guidelines. The Secretary’s Standards are essentially the guiding principles for preservation in the United States, from the National Park Service to State Historic Preservation Offices all the way down to the local level—in Richmond’s case, the Commission for Architectural Review. Perhaps most importantly, the Secretary’s Standards must be met by any rehabilitation project applying for Historic Preservation Tax Credits.
On July 20, 2023, Historic Richmond submitted comments on the Secretary’s Standards for Rehabilitation. We see these standards as a vital tool to reactivate historic buildings and return them to community use. To that end, our comments focused on flexible interpretation, particularly regarding housing, affordability, sustainability, and equity.
To read the full comment letter, click here.