Our advocacy efforts include proactive activities such as identifying and documenting important historic buildings and sites through City Landmark and National Register nominations, and assisting individual property owners and neighborhoods with preservation-related issues and questions. We also recently participated in the creation of an Historic Context Report on the City’s resources from the period 1935-1965, which will be an important preservation and planning tool for the resources from the recent past.

We are proud of our Easement program, and we currently have protective easements on over 70 historic buildings in the city. Easements are the most effective tool for the long-term preservation of historic structures; to learn more about this important program, click here. Our Craftsman Referral also links property owners with craftspeople who have expertise in working with historic structures and materials.

Pasadena Heritage also advocates for the protection of historic structures from demolition and inappropriate change, as well as working with developers and architects to ensure that new projects in historic districts are compatible with the existing buildings. These efforts include tracking projects through the City entitlement process and attending Public Hearings, working to seek alternative solutions to save endangered buildings, and spreading the word about preservation issues to engage our members, the public, and the press.

Please see our “Preservation Issues” list, which tracks endangered properties as well as current projects, and helps us to keep our members and supporters informed about the preservation issues in the city. The “Advocacy Alerts” on the homepage of the website are immediate calls to action or announcement of an imminent Public Hearing or deadline.         

How can I support Pasadena Heritage’s Advocacy efforts?

Becoming a member of Pasadena Heritage is the best way to support our advocacy efforts, as well as stay informed about issues in the City.  You can also join the mailing list to receive our monthly electronic PH news, which highlights our current concerns and projects.  In addition, we have a hard-working Advocacy Committee that consists of Pasadena Heritage Board members, members, and interested Pasadena residents.  The Advocacy Committee meets monthly to discuss the issues, strategize, and review proposed projects.  The Committee is chaired by Board Vice-Chair of Advocacy, and is staffed by Executive Director Susan Mossman.

How can I learn about topics being discussed by the City Council, or any City Commission, and how can I contact my Council representative?

Agendas, staff reports, and highlights from Pasadena’s City Council meetings are posted on the City’s website. Depending on the topic or scale of a project, preservation-related issues are also taken up by the Historic Preservation, Design, or Planning Commissions [http://www.ci.pasadena.ca.us/planning/default.asp].

Pasadena is divided into seven Council districts, with one representative from each geographic area.  To find and contact your Councilmember, please see the map and contact information on the City’s website.

How can I find out if a property is officially designated as “historic”?

There are hundreds of properties in Pasadena that are listed in the National Register, and many more that have been designated City Landmarks or Monuments, or are contributors to one of Pasadena’s twenty-four (and counting!) historic districts.  City of Pasadena Planning Staff have created a map of all the historic districts, as well as a list of all the properties designated as local landmarks, or are listed in the National Register.

The National Register of Historic Places is the federal list of designated historic properties, which is maintained by the National Park Service. You can search the National Register database by visiting their website.

How can I research the history of a building in Pasadena?

There are several excellent sources for historical information and photographs for Pasadena’s architectural resources. The City of Pasadena Design & Historic Preservation department houses all of the City permits, historic maps, archival clipping files, and prior research many of Pasadena’s historic properties:

Design & Historic Preservation
175 North Garfield Avenue, Window #4
Pasadena, CA 91109
(626) 744-4009

The Pasadena Museum of History has a wonderful photo archive, as well as some historic documentation and press clippings.  Additional information can also be found at the Pasadena Public Library Centennial Room, the Huntington Library, and the photo database of the Los Angeles Public Library.  Genealogical websites are also great tools for researching family histories for Pasadena’s historic residents. 

The Los Angeles County Assessor’s website is also a good source for tract maps.

Sanborn Maps, originally created for insurance company underwriters, are a great tool for confirming construction dates if a permit is unavailable, or to track changes to a property over time.  The City of Pasadena has a set of Sanborn Maps, as does the History Department of the main branch Los Angeles Public Library.  Scans of the Sanborn Maps are also widely available online by searching for “Sanborn Maps Los Angeles County.”