Comprehensive Cultural Survey

The CCHE’s enabling legislation included the requirement that the CCHE undertake a comprehensive survey of the state of cultural and historical preservation, accessibility, and interpretation in California, and report to the Governor and the Legislature. The survey included eight components, detailed below, and in the Executive Summary here. Survey results were shared at a statewide Cultural Summit held in October 2012 in Long Beach. Proceedings from the Summit are available by clicking here.

1. Requirement: Survey of elements in CA’s assemblage of buildings, sites, artifacts, museums, cultural landscapes, trails, illustrations, the arts and artistic expressions, written materials, and displays and interpretive centers that are missing or underrepresented, such as if current facilities, materials, and services leave out, misrepresent, or inadequately present some important thread of the story of California as a unified society or of the many groups of people that together comprise historic and modern California.
   Response: The Legacy of California’s Landmarks Report by Donna Graves:
2. Requirement: Recommendations for steps that should be taken to fill in the missing or underrepresented elements identified in subdivision (1).
   Response: The Legacy of California’s Landmarks Report by Donna Graves:
3. Requirement: Recommendations for the manner of transferring the Office of Historic Preservation in the Department of Parks and Recreation to the endowment, consistent with the Legislature’s intent expressed in Section 20052.5
   Response: Transferring OHP to the CCHE Report by Mimi Morris:
4. Requirement: Recommendations for additional steps that should be taken to better preserve and administer cultural and historic resources efficiently and effectively, including additional actions that should be taken to improve the governmental structures responsible for historic and cultural preservation in California, including oversight and support of museums. In particular, the endowment shall examine the feasibility and desirability of establishing the endowment as a separate institution in state government, without ties to any existing agency or department, although under the general authority of the Governor. The endowment shall also identify the most appropriate chair, or the most appropriate method for selecting the chair, of its board.
   Response: Improving California’s Cultural Heritage Report by Mimi Morris:
5. Requirement: A survey of the capacities and fiscal conditions of public, nonprofit, and other private entities in California that provide cultural and historical facilities and services, including museums.
   Response: Capacity Survey and Financing Report by Mimi Morris, without appendices, Capacity Survey and Financing Report by Mimi Morris, with appendices
6. Requirement: Recommendations for the future financing of cultural and historical programs provided by public agencies and nonprofit agencies in California, including museums.
   Response: Capacity Survey and Financing Report by Mimi Morris, without appendices, Capacity Survey and Financing Report by Mimi Morris, with appendices
7. Requirement: Recommendations for programs to encourage the historical maintenance and restoration of properties in private ownership, including, but not limited to, a state tax credit for restoration of historic properties that maintain historic integrity, property tax deferral as long as a property’s historic integrity in maintained, and low interest loans.
   Response: Supporting Historic Preservation In California Report by Donna Graves (needs link)
8. Requirement: A study of the economic impact of the preservation and interpretation of cultural and historic resources in the state. This should include the economic befits resulting from the preservation of historic commercial and residential properties and sites, and from historic and cultural tourism activities.
   Response: Economic Impact of Historic Preservation Report by Mimi Morris