Title
Approval of Historic Preservation Exterior Rehabilitation Grants (Ordinance S-52665) - District 4
Description
Request for approval of 19 Historic Preservation Exterior Rehabilitation grant funds for Fiscal Year (FY) 2025-26 totaling $286,024.12. In exchange for receiving grant funds, the property owners agree to sell the City a 15- or 20-year conservation easement to protect the historic character of the property's exterior. Further request authorization for the City Controller to disburse all funds related to this item.
Report
Summary
Applications for the Exterior Rehabilitation grant program for the FY 2025-26 were due on November 24, 2025. A total of 37 property owners submitted applications with 28 being complete; two of these were disqualified because the request was less than the $5,000 minimum grant amount. The remaining 26 applications were forwarded to the Exterior Rehabilitation grant panel for evaluation.
The panel met on December 19, 2025, to review the applications. Scoring criteria included whether the application followed historic preservation standards; addressed the physical needs of the property; reflected a logical sequence or logical planning of an overall rehabilitation project; resulted in a positive visual impact on the historic appearance of the property and streetscape; addressed a critical maintenance issue; and returned a vacant building to productive use. Additional points were awarded for projects that were individually listed or in a priority historic district, as well as for the significance and integrity of the property, the adequacy of the proposed bids and budget, and for the overall quality of the application.
The panel recommended the 19 grant applications listed below for a total of $286,024.12. Panel members agreed that the next highest application, which received a score of 32.3, as well as those that scored lower, had deficiencies and should not be funded. Applicants who are not recommended for funding will be encouraged to meet with staff to improve their application and resubmit it during a future round.,
- Justin Katz; 66 E. Vernon Avenue; Ashland Place - stucco and wood window rehabilitation. Score: 42.0. Amount: $18,450.
- Ashley Bourget; 511 W. Windsor Avenue; Willo - roof repair/replacement on main house and casita. Score: 41.7. Amount: $8,074.25.
- Christine Keith; 722 W. Wilshire Drive; Encanto Vista - repair steel windows including new glass. Score: 41.3. Amount: $20,000.
- Erin Hunt and Aryeh Grossman; 131 W. Coronado Road; Willo - foundation repair, exterior stucco repair. Score: 41.0. Amount: $11,915.25.
- Cashew Trust; 417 E. Colter Street; Windsor Square - repair steel windows including new glass. Score: 40.7. Amount: $20,000.
- Eric Bescak and Nicole Cuellar; 510 W. Granada Road; Willo - Repair wood windows including new glass, replacement of non-historic windows with more historically compatible windows, paint windows, window screens, and stucco repair. Score: 40.7. Amount: $20,000.
- Hilde Family Trust; 305 W. Georgia Avenue; Medlock Place - repair steel windows including new glass, repair porch post. Score: 40.7. Amount: $16,132.
- Valerie Lane Gentz; 53 W. Lewis Avenue; Willo - foundation repair, gutters, masonry repair. Score: 40.3. Amount: $19,486.17.
- Sandra Reid Lemon; 63 W. Windsor Avenue; Willo - repair steel windows including new glass. Score: 40.0. Amount: $20,000.
- Gilbert A. Martinez; 2502 N. 8th Street; Coronado - foundation repair. Score: 40.0. Amount: $20,000.
- Corianne and Ryan Nelson; 1301 W. Latham Street; FQ Story - foundation repair, patio floor repair. Score: 39.7. Amount: $7,698.82.
- Jennifer and Sean Hays; 521 W. Edgemont Avenue; Willo - roof replacement, repair fascia. Score: 39.0. Amount: $8,137.
- Rudolph Brock Galas; 1605 W. Vernon Avenue; Del Norte Place - foundation repair. Score: 39.0. Amount: $9,998.63.
- Kendell Crowley; 2038 N. Mitchell Street; Coronado - stucco repair, exterior wood repair, wood window repair. Score: 38.7. Amount: $12,714.
- SAVI Investments, LLC; 1325 W. Willetta Street; FQ Story - foundation repair, roof repair. Score: 38.3. Amount: $20,000.
- Ken Clark Living Trust; 325 W. Coronado Road; Willo - repair steel windows including new glass and screens. Score: 37.7. Amount: $20,000.
- 2002 James Grubish Revocable Trust; 73 W. Vernon Avenue; Willo - roof repair. Score: 37.0. Amount: $6,740.
- Brett and Chelsea Eichmann; 1613 W. Willetta Street; FQ Story - replace non-historic windows with wood clad aluminum windows. Score: 35.7. Amount: $13,312.
- Jean Stephenson; 2250 N. 17th Avenue; Fairview Place - replace non-historic windows with historically compatible windows. Score: 35.0. Amount: $13,366.
In exchange for the grant funds, the property owners agree to sell the City a conservation easement to protect the historic character of the properties' exteriors. The term of the easement will be 15 years for grant amounts $10,000 or less and 20 years for grant amounts between $10,001 and $20,000. The conservation easement will be recorded on the property's title and will run with the land.
Financial Impact
The 19 grant awards total $286,024.12. Funds in the amount of $199,888.49 are available in the General Fund Historic Preservation operating budget for 12 grants and $86,135.63 from the 2023 General Obligation Bond Program - Historic Preservation for 7 grants.
Concurrence/Previous Council Action
The Historic Preservation Commission recommended approval of this item on January 12, 2026, by a 7-0 vote.
The Transportation, Infrastructure and Planning Subcommittee recommended approval of this item on February 18, 2026, by a 4-0 vote.
Location
The residential property addresses above are located in District 4.
Council Districts: 4
Department
Responsible Department
The item is submitted by Assistant City Manager Lori Bays and the Planning and Development Department.