2022 October Preservation ePost

Three Sessions Remain in Free Webinar Series

There is still time to register and participate in the free webinar series, Home, Safe Home: Seismic Safety and Rehabilitating Historic Homes, offered by the Office of Historic Preservation (OHP) through a grant from FEMA and in collaboration with our preservation partners. The last three sessions of the series take place October 6, November 8, and December 15. Case studies will be presented, and a variety of topics addressed such as integrating seismic retrofitting into overall house repairs; cyclical maintenance for roofs, windows, and unique elements of historic houses; navigating local approval and permitting processes; and much more. All three sessions will livestream on the California Preservation Foundation (CPF)

Facebook page (Thank you, CPF, for hosting!). Please join us for the remainder of this informative series!

Climate Heritage Network Launches New Report & Website

The Climate Heritage Network (CHN) announces the release of their 2022-2024 Action Plan: Empowering People to Imagine and Realize Climate Resilient Futures Through Culture - From Arts to Heritage. As noted in the CHN release statement, the Action Plan's core goals are to "increase the quantity and quality of culture-based climate action at all levels, and transform climate policy by embedding culture and heritage into strategies to realize low-carbon, just and fair, climate resilient living."

The Climate Heritage Network is a global network of more than 250 member organizations committed to supporting communities in achieving the ambitions of the Paris Agreement through culture-based climate action. The OHP is a founding member of the CHN, and part of the Action Plan Implementation Leadership.

Save America's Treasures and Other Grant Opportunities

Applications are now being accepted for the Save America's Treasures Grant Program. Administered by the National Park Service in partnership with the National Endowments for the Arts and Humanities, and the Institute for Museum and Library Services, these grants help to support the preservation of historic properties and collections.

Application deadline: December 20.

The National Park Service is also accepting applications for African American Civil Rights Program grants to support the documentation, interpretation, and preservation of sites and stories associated with the struggle for African American civil rights in America.

Application deadline: November 8.

A number of grant opportunities are now available, as well, through California Humanities to support projects and efforts to educate about and preserve California's diverse cultural heritage.

Application deadlines range from October 2022 through March 2023.

T-Mobile, in partnership with Main Street America, and Smart Growth America, is pleased to announce applications are being accepted for

Hometown Grants. The grants help small communities (50,000 or less population) build, restore, or revitalize community spaces and buildings that help residents connect as a community. Grants are awarded quarterly.

Application deadline for this quarter: December 31.

The next grant cycle will open in January 2023.

Coming up soon: Applications will open this November for a new grant program from the National Trust for Historic Preservation and the Getty Institute. Conserving Black Modernism grants will support efforts to preserve historic modern architecture by Black architects and designers. More details to come in the weeks ahead.

Designating California!

Our featured property this month is one that has remained in active use for over 100 years in its original location. The Altenheim (“old people’s home”) in Oakland, was constructed in 1893 by the Altenheim Society, an organization of German immigrants committed to providing a home for elderly members of the German American community. The original building burned in 1908 and the current building was then constructed within a year at the same location, with the Society hosting a community celebration for the laying of the new building’s cornerstone. Additional buildings of note were added to the property in 1914-15 and the 1920s. The Altenheim is significant for being the only institution in Oakland built specifically to care for elderly German Americans and for continuing its social services to the German American community and others even after government welfare programs were instituted. Also noteworthy is the integrity of Altenheim's buildings preserved through more than a century of service, along with the acres of gardens surrounding the buildings.

Today, the Altenheim complex continues its legacy of care, providing affordable housing for low-income seniors. The Altenheim achieved listing on the National Register of Historic Places on January 10, 2007.

Photo courtesy of NoeHill in San Francisco.

State Historical Resources Commission

The SHRC meets quarterly each year. Commission meetings are open to the public and live-streamed through the Cal-Span network. Meeting dates, times, and agendas are posted to the SHRC Meeting Schedule and Notices page of the OHP website.

For upcoming nominations, visit the Pending Nominations page. Nominations already heard by the Commission are listed on the Actions Taken page, and video recordings of SHRC meetings are posted to the Meeting Recordings & Summaries page.

Learn more about the responsibilities and role of the SHRC.

News, Education, & More

CPF Webinars Focus on Award Recipients

The California Preservation Foundation (CPF) is offering a series of three Online Lunch and Learn Programs this month on October 4, 18, and 24. The programs will spotlight projects that are recipients of this year's Preservation Design Awards. All three programs are free but registration is required.

Active Fall Season with HistoriCorps

This fall, HistoriCorps is offering on-site volunteer opportunities in California to learn hands-on preservation skills while helping to preserve historic resources and sites:

October 16-21 & 23-28: Anderson Ranch House, Anderson Marsh State Historic Park

November 6-11 & 13-18: Silver Bell Ore Bins, Joshua Tree National Park

Visit the HistoriCorps website to learn more about their organization and other training opportunities.

CGLHS 2022 Annual Conference is in Los Angeles

California Garden & Landscape History Society (CGLHS) announces their 2022 Annual Conference: “Past, Present, and Future of the Los Angeles River,” taking place in-person, October 14-16. The conference will explore, through tours and lectures, the history of the river, its historic bridges, and the communities along the river’s channel. Registration is open now through October 7.

Registration is Open for 2022 PastForward Conference

The National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP) is accepting registrations for their 2022 PastForward Conference. Three themes will be explored this year: Historic Preservation is Climate Action, Encouraging Inclusion and Diversity Through Historic Preservation, and Understanding Preservation's Role in Real Estate Development. The conference takes place online, November 1-4, with early, on-demand sessions offered in October. Registration is required for both conference and on-demand sessions.

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