By Daily Press staff
The city of Santa Monica scored an “A” on the first-ever “preservation report card” issued by the Los Angeles Conservancy, and was one of just six cities among the 88 in Los Angeles County to receive top marks for their actions to safeguard historic landmarks and districts.
Thirty-seven cities, plus Los Angeles County, received grades of “B” through “D.” Forty-four cities failed and were labeled “preservation truants” because they have no preservation protection in place. The City of Los Angeles earned a “B+,” while Los Angeles County received a “D-.” Beverly Hills, a city with a treasure trove of historic architecture, managed to squeak onto the report card with a “D.” The report card was based on months of research designed to identify local governments in Los Angeles County that have made preservation a priority and to encourage others to recognize the importance of conserving their historic resources.
“It takes hard work and dedication to develop a strong preservation program and constant vigilance to make sure it is effective,” said Linda Dishman, executive director of the Los Angeles Conservancy. “Our honor roll salutes those jurisdictions and public officials that have invested so much time and effort to conserve their rich heritage for future generations.”
“By shining a spotlight on cities who are proactive, we hope to spur others to do their homework and get preservation policies in place before our next report card,” she added. “Our goal is to see all of Los Angeles County earn ‘summa cum laude’honors.”
Also making the preservation’s “honor roll” were Long Beach, Pasadena, South Pasadena, West Hollywood and Whittier.
The conservancy’s preservation report card was issued to mark its 25th anniversary.
Originally published in the Santa Monica Daily Press print edition on November 14, 2003. Read the original PDF.