HPD, aka Historical Preservation District, has been one of my pet peeves in real estate for years. I have lived in an Oklahoma City HPD, Crown Heights, and the inconsistencies are too numerouse to name. What got me back on this subject for the first time this year? Windows. Time Magazine just had an article on homes built before 1939 like the one I had. In general, it is estimated that a home built before this time requires 50% more energy to operate. What you can say is if you are not in an HPD, you are paying for stupid rules by which these people live. I know windows is not the only problem, but it a major energy leak in homes. I remember a hearing against someone who put vinyl double pane windows into their HPD regulated neighborhood home. One of the numerous HPD Nazis, and I don’t apologize for their label or arrogance, said she could tell vinyl windows from the street because of their “blue glow”. Hey lady, I have a hard time making the correct call up close without touching them. Oh yeah, you can put storm windows on which didn’t exist in 1939 just make sure they look historical, LOL. That is one of many problems
Rules are not uniformly enforced. If you have enough money and influence, you can change your house. One house had a breezeway, since in 1934 you didn’t have central air in the house, but that was okay to eliminate and to add a third car bay to the garage to boot. Another home was built properly with about a 20% remaining yard area, but the owner was allowed to go down to about 5%. I guess that wasn’t a good rule, but which bozo decides? I agree with some rules like parking on the street after dark, but that is NEVER enforced. The way Oklahoma HPD’s are enforced and not enforced, these people who make the decisions don’t even qualify as corrupt and inept politicans.
Finally, some of these neighborhoods are mislabled as HPD. Especially since many of the houses qualify as tear downs. When I was getting cancer treatment in Houston, I saw old decrepit neighborhoods like we have as HPD with the freedom to tear down the garbage. Guess what, $1.4 million duplexes were being erected, or a $2 million 4 story homes. I go to Israel this summer to speak to investors. When I see a structure that was built with B.C. after the year, now that is HPD. New Orleans, Charleston, and New York have HPD. Oklahoma City get a clue and quit embarassing yourself. 1939 is a teenager home compared to the real thing. When natural gas makes a winter month’s heating bill $700 for 1400SF, I hope you have the strength of your convictions. I doubt it, you would rather go down with the ship. Now that would be progress. So would truly upgrading neighborhoods.
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