Has Preservation Office Head Deb Andrews Been Making Statements on Behalf of Her Office With “Limited” Data to Back Those Claims up?  Should All of Her Decisions based on  “Limited” Data be Opened up and Reviewed Again?

The city of Portland is inviting proposals from qualified constituents to complete a HIstoric  Preservation Impact study. When the city council first adopted Portland’s Historic Preservation ordinance, six local historical districts and five historic landscape districts based on previously designed  National Register districts were established according to a press release issued by the city’s spokeswoman this morning.

Since that time, the program has expanded significantly to 12 local districts.  Approximately 2,000 properties throughout the city, in a diverse range of neighborhoods and contexts, are currently designated as historic properties.

However, limited data has been collected to document the impact of the historic district designations on Portland’s housing market in terms of affordability supply and accessibility as well as historic preservation’s impact on employment, collected heritage tourism, sustainability, downtown revitalization and equity and inclusion according to the city’s press release.

Just how limited is the data collected to date?  Who knows?  Limited data has been collected by the Historic Preservation Office since the inception of the HP designation back in 1990 despite assurances at public HP meetings that it has proof that these designations do not increase the costs of housing in an expensive rental market nor does it increase the cost of maintaining a home because of its requirements for HP approved replacement parts.  Parts like doors, roofs, etc.

The city’s goal is for the study is to provide an analysis of and where applicable recommendations on the following:

Job creation and income generated by historic rehabilitation activity or other preservation efforts in Portland’s historic districts; the economic impact of cultural heritage tourism and its relative impact on relation to other forms of tourism in Portland; demonstrated effect of historic districts on property values and rent within those districts are compared to non-historic districts; the role of historic preservation in downtown commercial economic vitality; the contribution of historic preservation to Portland’s sustainable development (smart growth principies, energy conservation, climate resislence, green infrastructure, etc.); the social and racial impacts of historic preservation including but not limited to, the opportunities in Portland’s historic districts as it is related to the development of low and moderate income housing compared with other, non-historic district parts of the city.

City Councilor Andrew Zarro, District 4, sponsored the HP Impact Study with the support of the City Council.  He said in an email to this blogger on December 29, that he obtained the funds necessary to finance the study because there wasn’t money in the city’s budget to conduct it  He has not identified where that funding came from – what is the source of the funding?  He’s not saying.  Aren’t you curious?

Zarro told this blogger earlier this year at his place of business that the Study could demonstrate that this Historic Designational program would not accomplilsh what it says it does and that it should be eliminated from the city’s agenda.  Zarro also told me not to print this in my blog which I did not at the time.

This action of Zarro followed his vote to include Munjoy Hill as a Historic District, a controversial subject on the Hill. Zarro told this blogger he received intense and sometimes nasty lobbying efforts from those who wanted him to support the designattion.  When asked by this blogger if he had subcumbed to heavy public pressure, Zarro said he had not.  Greater Portland Landmarks lobbied the community and city council heavily to support the historic designation for Munjoy Hill.

At a previous city council meeting, Councilor Zarro had voted NOT to include Munjoy HIll as a Historic Designation.  In a highly unusual move, he asked to revisit the issue for an opportunity to reconsider his vote..  That revisit was granted by Councilors. The second time around Zarro voted to include part of Munjoy HIll in the Historic District designation.  Who is the real Councilor Zarro?  Vulnerable to public pressure?  He has admitted that his father is a real estate attorney.

Proposals are due by Wednesday, October 13, 2021, at 3:00 pm.  Copies of the RFP are available by contacting the city’s Purchasing Office via e-mail at:  jrl@!portlandmaine.gov or phone at 207 – 874-8654.