Time for Mills Act 2013

All-Electric Josef Kun Residence #1 by architect Richard Neutra; Gregory Ain, collaborator;

first house photographed by Julius Shulman.

The Mills Act is a property tax reduction program for historic structures in the City of Los Angeles (and some other California entities). In Los Angeles if your structure is a single family residence, apartment residence, or business which is a "contributor" to an established Historic Preservation Overlay Zone (HPOZ) you are eligible to participate in the Mills Act program. All you need do is contact me to arrange to have the necessary paperwork filed, for a fee, by next year's deadline (likely in May). However, if your single family home is valued in excess of $1.5 Million or your business or apartment building is valued in excess of $3 Million by the county assessor's office, you will also have to file a lengthy document which I prepare in conjunction with an approved architecture practice, known as a Historic Structure Report (HSR). That means you need to start early--these take many weeks or months to prepare.

Schneidman House by architects A. Quincy Jones, Whitney R. Smith; engineer Edgardo Contini.

If your property is NOT a "contributor" to an established HPOZ your house, apartments, or business must first become a Historic-Cultural Monument in the City of Los Angeles. This takes SEVERAL months and must be started before December of 2012 to guarantee that your property will make next year's Mills Act deadline. Contact me NOW to begin the process.



C. C. Ganahl House by architect Albert C. Martin, Sr

Contact me at:

historichomesla@aol.com

or 310-650-2143.





 

William May Garland, "Realtor"

William May Garland was born in Westport, Maine on March 31, 1866. He came to Los Angeles in 1890 and secured employment as the auditor of the Pacific Cable Railway Company, a position which he maintained until 1894, when he most likely became bored, and decided to start working in Los Angeles land sales.

Two short years after entering land sales, in 1896, Garland began the development of the Wilshire Boulevard Tract and was responsible for making it one of the finest early residential districts in Los Angeles. He also specialized in downtown properties. He developed the Garland Tract and the Garland Tract Extension.

Mr. Garland was responsible for coining the word “Realtor” which has come to personify the profession. He served three terms as President of the Los Angeles Realty Board and two terms as President of the National Association of Real Estate Boards. 

During World War I he represented the National Association as a Dollar-a-Year Man at Washington, D.C.

In 1923 Garland was the Pacific Coast delegate to the International Olympic Committee. While in Rome he secured the 1932 celebration of the Olympiad for the United States. It took place in the Coliseum which was built by the Community Development Association of which Mr. Garland was President.