Advocacy Bulletin

from the
California Preservation Foundation

The California Performance Review (CPR) Commission is meeting this Friday, 17 September, at CSU Fresno.

The CPR Commission has recommended elimination of the State Historical Resources Commission.

We have discovered that a block has been placed on the CPR fax line. If you try to fax in your letter, it will not go through.

It is imperative that you fax copies of your letters to the California Preservation Foundation (415) 495-0265. We will fax them to Senator Denise Ducheny, who will personally deliver the letters to the commissioners.

California Performance Review (CPR) Commission Meeting
Friday, 17 September 2004

10:00 am to 5:00 pm
California State University, Fresno
Satellite Student Union
5241 North Maple Street
Fresno, CA 93740

See the meeting agenda at http://cpr.ca.gov/updates/archives/fresno_public_notice.shtml.

Thanks to those of you who sent letters to the Governor and the California Performance Review Commission regarding the recommendation to eliminate the State Historical Resources Commission. We strongly encourage all of you to send in those letters. It makes a difference!

If you haven’t sent a letter, there’s still time to do so.

The California Performance Review (CPR) Commission has recommended elimination of the State Historical Resources Commission!

Most funding for the historic preservation program in California comes from a federal grant from the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF). Loss of HPF funding would deprive the state of about a million dollars annually and would lead to the closing of the Office of Historic Preservation. The State of California will lose $1.2 Million in Federal funding to save $17,000 by eliminating the SHRC.

This action will effectively close the Office of Historic Preservation, threatens existing programs to local governments, and will irreparably harm historic preservation programs and make California the only State in the country without a state preservation program.

Read about it on the CPR website at Evaluating California’s Boards and Commissions.

Join CPF’s campaign to save the SHRC

Write a letter and send it to the California Performance Review Commission.

Contact the CPR Commission online at http://cpr.ca.gov/feedback/

Or mail your letter to:

Office of the Governor
Constituent Affairs
State Capitol
Sacramento, CA 95814
Attn: CPR Commission

Send a copy of your letter CPF so that we can bring them to the meeting on the 17th and hand them to the Commission in person:
California Preservation Foundation
5 Third St, Suite 424
San Francisco, CA 94103
(415) 495-0265 (FAX)
[email protected]


Sample letter

Dear _________________,

I am writing to you to express my opposition to the California Performance Review Commission's recommendation to eliminate the State Historical Resources Commission (SHRC).

In 2004, the State of California received a $1.2 million grant from the Federal Government through the Historic Preservation Fund. To receive these funds, California must agree to specific conditions. The SHRC is appointed as a condition of receiving the Federal grant. The State of California stands to lose over $1 million dollars in Federal funds, 10% of which is passed through to local governments, to save $17,000!

Loss of Federal Grants due to the elimination of the SHRC translates to additional losses to the State, Local Governments and Statewide Non-profits, which include:

  1. Over $100,000 in grants to local government through the Certified Local Government Program.�
  2. Technical support provided by the Office of Historic Preservation (OHP).�
  3. Grants to Statewide non-profit organizations.�
  4. The California Main Street Program, recently reassigned to OHP.�
  5. Loss of funding to the California Historical Resources Information Centers.�
  6. Tax Credit project approval.�
  7. Nominations to the California and National Registers, and therefore, any public participation process.�
  8. Section 106 Reviews

I encourage you to retain the State Historical Resources Commission and retain over $1 million dollars in Federal funding to support State, Local and Non-profit historic preservation programs.

Sincerely,