The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is a federal government agency that supports communities to create healthy, safe, and affordable places to live. It is HUD’s job to ensure that the communities it serves are strong, stable, and resilient places to live. Through programs such as the U.S. Housing Trust Fund, HUD is working to increase the availability of affordable rental homes and rental assistance by investing in and revitalizing communities.
In its long history, HUD has provided billions of dollars to cities and towns to help preserve our nation’s historic buildings and other resources. By law, each year HUD sets aside a small portion of the money it receives from the sale of affordable housing for the preservation of historic buildings and sites and preservation grants to state and local governments.
What Is the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA)?
The U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development’s (HUD) National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) of 1966 has been the primary mechanism for conserving the country’s very rich historic resources since its enactment. It directs the preservation and rehabilitation of the nation’s historic buildings and sites.
After a slow start, it quickly gained momentum in the years that followed. Originally designed to protect cultural resources from destruction by state and federal agencies, the act has been amended numerous times to include issues of preservation and environmental responsibility. HUD funds and coordinates historic preservation programs for the owners of more than 300,000 properties.
What Is HUD’s Role In Preserving The Nation’s Historic Properties?
In cities across the country, historic buildings have been revitalized, restored, renovated, or demolished, often at great expense to their owners and the residents they served. Many cities have landmark preservation laws to preserve historic buildings, but most do not have an agency to implement the law or a designated agency to enforce it.
The Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) is committed to working with states, localities, public and private entities, and the public to protect, preserve, and advance the nation’s historic resources. With a charge under Title VI of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), the agency’s mission is to preserve America’s historic and cultural resources and to ensure that communities across the Nation are safe, prosperous, and equitable. In order to fulfill its mission, HUD is committed to working with states, localities, public and private entities, and the public to develop and implement a holistic approach to the preservation of our nation’s historic resources. For example, HUD’s National Housing Preservation Trust Fund (NHPT) provides grants to local governments to renovate historic housing and historic landmarks.
Final Words
The National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 established the National Register of Historic Places (NR) as a national program to help preserve our nation’s tangible heritage, including our historic places, objects, and sites. The program is administered through the U.S. Department of the Interior’s National Park Service.
To know more about the National Historic Preservation Act, join the Compliance Prime webinar.
