Join Pasadena Heritage for a conversation on the relationship between historic preservation and affordable housing with speakers:

• Dr. Bridget Lawlor – Executive Director, Pasadena Heritage

• Charles Loveman – Executive Director, Heritage Housing Partners 

• Shawn Morrissey – Vice President of Advocacy and Community Engagement, Union Station Homeless Services 

There’s a common misconception that historic preservationists work to freeze historic sites in time, creating static, museum-like spaces that critics blame for rising property costs and stalled development.

At the same time, affordable housing has become a prominent point of regional discussion, facing public dissatisfaction with current housing efforts in Los Angeles County. While the two fields are met with discontent, a new practice has begun to bridge the gap between preservation and housing. Adaptive reuse, the concept of repurposing buildings to create new, functional spaces outside its original purpose, has been adopted by preservation groups as a way to responsibly honor history. 

This discussion explores a future where preservation meets housing solutions to offer innovative alternatives to affordable housing.