FLORIDA DEPARTMENT OF STATE -SUEM. COBB- SECRETARY OF STATE

The National Register of Historic Places is an official listing of properties throughout the country

that reflect the prehistoric occupation and historic development of our nation, states, and local

communities. The Register is maintained by the National Park Service under the Secretary of the

Interior. It is used primarily as a planning tool in making decisions concerning the development

of our communities to ensure, as much as possible, the preservation of buildings, sites, structures,

and objects that are significant aspects of our cultural and historic heritage. Sometimes there are

misunderstandings as to what listing in the National Register will mean for a property owner.

The following is an outline of what it will do and what it will not do.

WILL DO

. The National Register provides recognition that the property is deemed by the federal and

state governments to be significant in our history at the national, state, and/or local levels.

Most properties are significant because of their' local significance.

. The National Register identifies the properties that local, state, and federal planners should

carefully consider when developing projects. Projects involving federal funding, permitting,

liqensing, or assistance and that may result in damage or loss of the historic values of a

property that is listed in the National Register or is eligible for listing are reviewed by the

State Historic Preservation Office and the federal Advisory Council on Historic Preservation.

A similar review takes place under state law for state or state-assisted undertakings. A

typic example of projects that are given such review is road construction or improvement.

For more information, call the Compliance and Review Section of the Florida Bureau of

Historic Preservation at (850) 245-6333.

. Listing may make a property eligible for a Federal Income Tax Credit. If a registered

property that is income producing undergoes a substantial rehabilitation carried out according

to the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation, the owner may apply for a 20%

income tax credit. The credit amounts to 20% of the cost of the rehabilitation. For more

information, contact the Architectural Preservation Services Section of the Florida Bureau of

Ristoriation Preservation at (850) 245-6333.

. In 1992,the Florida Legislature passed legislation that allows counties or cities to grant ad

valorem tax relief for owners of properties that are listed or eligible for listing in the

National Register or in a local district. When a property is improved its value is increased

and the assessment is raised accordingly. The ad valorem tax legislation provides that the

increase in assessed value of the improved property will be exempted for up to 10 years from

taxation for those portions of the tax bill affected by local option county or municipal

exemption ordinances. This provision is available for both income and non-income

producing properties. Contact your local property appraiser to see if this provision is

available.

. Listing may make a property exempt from certain Federal Emergency Management Act

(FEMA) requirements and eligible for some American Disabilities Act (ADA) and

building safety code adjustments. For more information, call the Architectural Preservation

Services Section of the Bureau of Historic Preservation at (850) 245-6333.

. Listing or being determined eligible for listing is not required for receiving state

preservation grants. The competition for the grants is intense, however, and this official

recognition adds weight to the argument that a property is significant and should be awarded

a grant. For more information, call the Grants and Education Section of the Bureau of

Historic Preservation at (850) 245-6333.

WILL NOT DO

. Listing in the National Register or being determined eligible for listing does not

automatically preserve a building, and does not keep a property from being modified or even

destroyed.

. Unless an undertaking is state or federally funded, or regulated by local ordinance, private

property owners may deal with their property in any way they see fit. Architects in the

Bureau of Historic Preservation are available to provide advice concerning the best ways to

approach rehabilitation needs while maintaining the historic character of a property. For

more information, call the Architectural Preservation Services Section at (850) 245-6333.

. Private owners are not required to open their listed property to the public for visitation.

. The federal and state governments will not attach restrictive covenants to a property or seek

to acquire it because of its listing in the National Register.

Further information is available at the following Web sites:

http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/publicationslbulletinslbrochure/

http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/publicatonslbulletins/spanishbrochure/

"My Property is Important to America's Heritage: What Does that Mean?"

http://www.cr.nps.gov/nr/publicationslbulletins/myproperty/

BUREAU OF HISTORIC PRESERVATION-R.A. GRAY BUILDING

500 SOUTH BRONOUGH STREET -TALLAHASSEE,FLORIDA 32399-0250

TELEPHONE (850) 245-6333 OR 1-800-847-7278

FAX (850) 245-6437

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