ABSTRACT
Historic preservation and urban design regulations are often controversial because of their subjective natures as well as the burden that they impose on private property owners for the benefit of the community at large. Governmental entities at the federal, state, and local levels are often called upon to incentivize the preservation of historic structures, even though these are often privately owned. Historically significant structures have been recognized as a vital part of local infrastructure. Congress enacted the National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) in 1966 due, at least in part, to concerns that "historic properties significant to the Nation's heritage are being lost or substantially altered, often inadvertently, with increasing frequency". The act created the National Register of Historic Places, authorizing the Secretary of Interior to list "districts, sites, buildings, structures, and objects significant in American history, architecture, archaeology, engineering, and culture".
