Becoming a Certified Local Government (CLG) qualifies city centers for funding and technical assistance not available to other communities. Administered jointly by the National Park Service and the State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) in each state, the program requires a community to commit to historic preservation in order to be certified.
Some of the many cities to receive funding include:
Bennington, VT, won a grant to support the design and fabrication of a downtown kiosk that displays information about historic sites, cultural attractions, and other amenities in the area.
Bellingham, WA, received funds to develop walking tours of downtown and the Fairhaven neighborhood.
Burlington, VT, was awarded funds to conduct a conditions assessment of city owned buildings that were locally designated as historic resources.
The process to become a CLG starts with the State Historic Preservation Office, which assists communities in understanding the requirements and application process.
A Certified Local Government must meet these minimum goals:
- Establish a qualified historic preservation commission.
- Enforce appropriate state or local legislation for the designation and protection of historic properties. In most cases, this is done in the form of a local ordinance.
- Maintain a system for the survey and inventory of local historic resources.
- Facilitate public participation in local preservation, including participation in the National Register listing process.
- Follow any additional requirements outlined in each state’s Certified Local Government procedures.
More on funding downtown improvements appears regularly in the pages of Downtown Idea Exchange newsletter.
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