2011 Recommendations

It is recommended that the Village Green follow the guidelines below in order to be eligible for outside funding, such as the Mills Act and disaster funding. These guidelines are common practices followed by leading National Historic Landmarks.

1. Mission Statement
Board and community involvement; facilitated by the management.

2. Work with qualified preservation professionals
Professionals to be approved by Los Angeles City and the National Parks Service. Develop policy on volunteers and qualified professionals in regards to historic preservation activities.

3. Long-Term Planning for the Landscapes
-----Cultural Historic Landscape Report
-----Landscape maintenance manual
Long-term Planning for the Buildings
-----Historic Structure Report
-----Building maintenance manual
The above to be reviewed by community, appropriate government agencies, and preservation consultants who meet the Department of Interior standards.

4. Long-Term Financial Plan for the Buildings and Landscapes
Support the above preservation plans for the buildings and landscapes. Follow Civil Code 1365 (Reserve Funding plan).

5. Education Plan
----education plans for board members, committee members, management, and the community on history, preservation, and proper condominium management.
----archives (site and online) for preservation plans, reports, photographs, and historic documents.
The above to be assisted by the historic preservation community and qualified preservation professionals with help from the Village Green community. CAI is an important source.

6. Governing Documents
----CC&R's and By Laws (to be updated) to reflect National Landmark status and most recent legal developments.
---- Revised homeowners manual to reflect Mills Act requirements
-----Handbooks for Board members, Committee members, and Manager.
The above to be reviewed by community and those in the legal and historic preservation professions. CAI is an important source.

7. Oversight
----- Annual report by Board, committees, and manager on what was accomplished with special emphasis on historic preservation. To be sent (or available on website) to homeowners and also for the Los Angeles City's Mills Act program.
-----Annual written evaluations by qualified professionals to be sent to board, community, (and Los Angeles City for the Mills Act).
-----Provide opportunities for community to respond to above documents.

8. Public Benefits
-----document describing benefits to be gained by the public because the Village Green is a National Historic Landmark.
To be formulated by a special task force of preservation professionals and the Village Green community.

The above proposed eight recommendations are the same as those required for maintaining the National Historic Landmark status.



Interviews at Two Leading Historic Sites

Gamble House
Director Ted Bosley discusses preservation practices at Gamble House (a National Landmark) and how they can be applied to the Village Greeen.

Rancho Los Alamitos
Executive Director Pamela Seager gives a series of interviews on various management aspects in managing a nationally respected historic property.

Source: Cornell University's Clarence Stein Institute Fellowship Preservation Framework for the Stein Garden Cities based on Five Leading NHLs in Los Angeles County (2008 to 2010).

January 2011