[schema type="organization" orgtype="LocalBusiness" url="http://4salebydonna.com" name="Real Estate Agent Donna Baker" description="Real Estate Agent showing homes for sale and available real estate in Monrovia, Pasadena, Arcadia the San Gabriel Valley in Southern California." city="Monrovia" state="Ca" postalcode="91016" email="donna@4salebydonna.com " phone="(626) 408-7766 "]

Historic Preservation


Many cities have Historic Preservation Ordinances in place to protect the older homes in their communities.  This is important in order to preserve the history and landmarks of a town.  Monrovia, Sierra Madre, and Pasadena have Commissions that are responsible for land-marking historic homes.  In some cases, at the time of land-marking, homeowners can apply for the Mills Act Contract, which may qualify them for up to 50% savings in property taxes.

As a City of Monrovia Historic Preservation Commissioner in Monrovia from 1995 to 2015, and a long-time member of the Monrovia Historic Preservation Group, I have vast experience and knowledge of historic homes, land-marking, and the Mills Act.

In Monrovia, for homes built prior to 1930, the Historic Preservation Commission and the City Council must both find that the application meets one or more of the criteria and standards for the designations of a landmark, as follows:

  • It is identified with persons or events significant in local, regional, state, or national history.
  • It is representative of the work of a notable builder, designer, or architect.
  • It contributes to the significance of an historic area, being a geographically definable area possessing a concentration of not less than 50% of historic or architecturally related grouping of properties which contribute to each other and are unified aesthetically by physical layout or development.
  • It embodies one or more distinctive characteristics of style, type, period, design, materials, or craftsmanship.
  • It has a unique location or physical characteristics or represents an established and familiar visual feature of neighborhood, community, or the City of Monrovia.
  • It incorporates elements that help preserve and protect an historic place or area of historic interest in the City.
  • It has yielded, or may be likely to yield information important in prehistory or history.

If you are a fan of older homes, it would be wise to check with your community to see if there is a Preservation Ordinance in place.

Further information on Historic Preservation can be obtained from the National Trust for Historic Preservation.