Press Release
The Utah State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) has selected 17 mostly rural communities to receive historic preservation grants.
“This program provides annual grants to local communities to help preserve their historic resources,” said Alena Franco, the grant administrator.
The SHPO oversees the Certified Local Government (CLG) program, a federal program through the National Park Service, and there are currently 98 Utah CLGs consisting of cities or towns that are certified to receive these funds. To become ‘certified’, a local government must adopt a local preservation ordinance and create a historic preservation commission.
Annually, the Utah SHPO distributes over $100,000 to CLGs throughout the state, and have a minimum required pass-through of 10% of the budget.
“Because we want to invest these funds in local communities, we try to pass-through much more than is required,” added Franco. This year, the SHPO passed through 18.73% of the federal funds instead of the required 10%.
These grants are used for a broad range of preservation activities, such as surveys of historic properties, National Register Nominations, public education activities, preservation planning, architectural and engineering studies, and “brick-and-mortar” rehabilitation work on National Register-listed properties. Most of the applicants apply for funds to assist in the rehabilitation of historic buildings within these communities.
Helper Certified Local Government (CLG), under direction of Mayor Lenise Peterman, received $10,000 in grant money from UT SHPO to complete rehabilitation work on National Register-listed buildings on Helper’s Main Street. Façade repair was carried out on the commercial buildings Balance Rock Eatery and the E Clampus Vitus building.