Blog of the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office

Category: Laws, Policies, and Regulations (Page 1 of 11)

Out with the Model Ordinance in with the Ordinance Guidebook and Workbook

For many years, the Pennsylvania State Historic Preservation Office (PA SHPO) had a model historic preservation ordinance to help Pennsylvania’s municipalities protect historic places in their communities. The tool, while it had its uses, proved to be unequal to the task of accounting for the wide variety amongst Pennsylvania’s more than 2,500 municipalities. The model ordinance helped communities answer the question ‘how can we protect historic places,’ but it did not help communities address why they want to protect historic places or determine what residents in their communities valued.

The PA SHPO’s new Preservation Ordinance Guidebook and Workbook seeks to address not only how but also what and why to help communities develop implementable preservation ordinances which meet community needs.

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An Introduction to NAGPRA: Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act

NAGPRA—or the Native American Graves Protection and Repatriation Act—was signed into law on November 16, 1990. At its core, NAGPRA was created to address the historical mistreatment of Native American human remains and cultural items. NAGPRA requires federal agencies and cultural institutions (e.g. museums, universities, state agencies, and local governments) that receive federal funds to repatriate (or return) ancestors, sacred objects, funerary objects, and objects of cultural patrimony to lineal descendants and culturally affiliated federally recognized tribes and nations.

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A New Life for an Old Building: Expressions of Interest Wanted for the Butler VA Hospital

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) has recently posted an Expression of Interest (EOI) for a historic reuse opportunity at the former Butler VA Hospital in Butler Township, Butler County.

The VA reached out to PA SHPO for assistance in sharing this opportunity with the development community. If you are a developer, read on. If you work with a developer or know a developer, share this post! Expressions of Interest are due August 30, 2025.

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