Historic Preservation Policy, Tools & Resources

GSA learns and innovates while preserving America's cultural heritage. The Center for Historic Buildings collects, refines and maintains this knowledge and shares it with you here.

Legislation, Policy, and Reports 

Federal legislation to protect historic remains and objects has codified national policy to preserve historic sites, buildings, and objects of national significance. These early laws set the stage for the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA), positioning the federal government to take an unprecedented leadership role in the preservation of these historic resources. The NHPA became law on October 15, 1966 (Public Law 89-665, October 15, 1966; 16 U.S.C. 470 et seq.). Since enactment, there have been 22 amendments.

National Historic Preservation Act and Section 106

The requirements established by Section 106 ensures that the impact of federal activity on historic properties be studied and understood prior to the commencement of the activity. Further, it requires each federal agency to consider public views and concerns about historic preservation issues when making final project decisions.

The ultimate goal of Section 106 is to seek agreement among these participants regarding preservation matters arising during the review process. Learn more about Section 106.

Preservation Tools & Resources

The Center for Historic Buildings has created and collected many tools and resources for building and preservation professionals.

• NHPA Section 106
• Leased Property Project Tools
• Proposal, Contracts & Other Planning Tools
• Certification & Other Required Documentation
• Technical Guidelines & Resources