Historic preservation provides an understanding of the location, distribution, and significance of historic resources.
 

In San Francisco, preserving historically and culturally significant properties is a critical part of city planning. The City’s unique character – enjoyed by residents and visitors – relies heavily on its historic buildings. From a practical perspective, maintaining and rehabilitating older buildings and neighborhoods can save energy, time, money, and materials, making preservation an inherently sustainable policy.

The Planning Department plays a crucial role in this effort through its Historic Preservation program, which supports the City’s ongoing development while safeguarding its history. San Francisco is a Certified Local Government, and the Planning Department ensures projects adhere to the standards set forth by the California State Office of Historic Preservation.

Article 10 and 11 City Landmarks maps can be found on the San Francisco Property Information Map.

Preservation Programs

Landmark Designation Program

Landmarks and Landmark Districts are unique and irreplaceable assets to the city and its neighborhoods and provide examples of the physical surroundings in which past generations lived. The intent of Landmark designation is to protect, preserve, enhance and encourage continued utilization, rehabilitation and, where necessary, adaptive use of significant cultural resources.

More About the Program

Citywide Cultural Resources Survey

The San Francisco Citywide Cultural Resources Survey (“SF Survey”) is an on-going project to identify and document places and resources of cultural, historical, and architectural importance to San Francisco’s diverse communities. SF Survey supports community-led cultural empowerment efforts through partnerships, programming, and historic preservation protections and incentives.

More About the Survey

City Landmarks and Historic Districts

Article 10 of the Planning Code establishes San Francisco’s official list of City Landmarks and Historic Districts. Landmarks are typically buildings or objects, while Historic Districts are areas with many historic resources, united by a shared history and character.

Owners of Landmark properties, or of contributing buildings in Historic Districts, may qualify for property tax relief under the Mills Act (see below) and other incentives. More details are available in Preservation Bulletins No. 5, 9, and 10.

Article 11 Conservation Districts

Conservation Districts in San Francisco are located in the downtown core and are regulated by Article 11 of the Planning Code. Rules in Conservation Districts protect buildings based on architectural quality and their contribution to the character of Downtown. For more information, see Preservation Bulletin No.10.

Mills Act and Other Incentive Programs

The Mills Act is an important economic incentive program available in California for use by private property owners of qualified historic buildings. Enacted by the State of California in 1976 and amended in the San Francisco Administrative Code in 1996, the Mills Act provides for a potential 50 percent reduction in property taxes on qualified historical properties in exchange for the owner's agreement to maintain and preserve the resource in accordance with standards established by the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for the Treatment of Historic Properties.

Find out more about other incentive programs.

CEQA and Historical Resources

The California Environmental Quality Act (CEQA) outlines how historical resources are identified and considered in planning. The process involves determining if a property is a "historic resource," and if proposed changes would cause a "substantial adverse impact" to the resource. For more information, see Preservation Bulletin No.16. Additional CEQA information is found in the Preservation FAQs.