Services

Regulatory compliance is the foundation of nearly every project touching a historic property. JHRC prepares and reviews cultural resource assessments required under the California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA), the National Environmental Policy Act (NEPA), and Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA). We work directly with lead agencies, applicants, and consulting parties to ensure that the historic and cultural significance of affected resources is properly identified, evaluated, and considered – keeping your project compliant and on schedule.

Before a property can be protected, it must be properly understood. JHRC conducts rigorous evaluations of historic significance for individual structures, districts, landscapes, and sites – applying the criteria of the National Register of Historic Places, the California Register of Historical Resources, and local landmark designations. Our evaluations are grounded in thorough archival research, field documentation, and professional analysis – providing clients with defensible, well-documented determinations of eligibility and significance.

Listing in the National Register of Historic Places, the California Register of Historical Resources, or a local landmark program provides formal recognition – and opens the door to significant preservation benefits. JHRC prepares comprehensive, well-researched nominations that present a property’s significance persuasively and accurately. We guide clients through the nomination process from initial eligibility assessment through submission and review, ensuring the strongest possible case for designation.

A technically sound report is often the difference between a project that moves forward and one that stalls. JHRC prepares the full spectrum of preservation documentation, including: Historic Context Statements, Architectural Descriptions, Conditions Assessments, Archaeological and Architectural Survey Reports, Finding of Effect determinations, and Environmental Impact Report historic resources sections. Every report is written to professional standards and calibrated to the specific needs of the project.

Rehabilitation, restoration, or new construction within historic properties must often comply with the Secretary of the Interior’s Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties. JHRC provides detailed consultation and design review to help architects, developers, and property owners achieve compliance – preserving historic character while meeting contemporary project goals. Early consultation can save significant time and expense.

The Federal Historic Tax Credit provides a 20% tax credit for the qualified rehabilitation of income-producing historic properties. State and local incentive programs offer additional opportunities. JHRC assists clients in understanding, pursuing, and documenting these incentives – from initial eligibility review through the preparation of Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 applications to the National Park Service.

The Historic American Buildings Survey (HABS), Historic American Engineering Record (HAER), and Historic American Landscapes Survey (HALS) represent the nation’s official archive of significant historic resources. When properties face alteration, demolition, or transfer of federal lands, recordation is frequently required as a mitigation measure. JHRC prepares documentation that meets the rigorous standards of the Library of Congress.

A preservation easement is a powerful legal tool that permanently protects the historic character of a property while providing potential tax benefits to the donor. JHRC advises property owners on the strategic use of preservation easements, helps identify qualified easement-holding organizations, and provides the documentation necessary to establish and value the easement.

A Historic Structure Report (HSR) is the foundational planning document for the long-term preservation and rehabilitation of a historic building. JHRC prepares comprehensive HSRs that combine architectural history, existing conditions assessment, and treatment recommendations – giving property owners and design teams the information they need to make sound decisions about a building’s future.

The story of a historic place belongs to the public. JHRC develops interpretive exhibit content that communicates the architectural history, cultural significance, and human stories of historic properties to broad and diverse audiences – for museums, visitor centers, historic sites, and adaptive reuse projects. We help organizations bring history to life in ways that are accurate, engaging, and enduring.