Advocacy
Christine Palmer, Historic Seattle's Advocacy Advocate/ Photo: Marissa Natkin
Historic Seattle's Advocacy Program
What is Advocacy?
Advocacy takes many forms. Anyone can become an advocate for historic preservation, and if you are reading this, you are ready to begin. Advocating Historic Seattle's preservation issues agenda does not require scholarly expertise in local history and architecture. But it does require a knowledgeable interest in Seattle's built environment, a willingness to donate time and effort, and a passion for community heritage.
What does it mean to advocate for historic preservation?
Tracking the plans and policies of local, state, and national agencies and officials and how their actions effect historic preservation is a form of advocacy. Attending and speaking at meetings of the local preservation commission is advocacy. Joining Historic Seattle is also a form of advocacy because "strength in numbers" is not just a cliché. Your participation enables the organization to function with a powerful voice with policy makers, developers, and others who make decisions about the community's historic environment.
How does Historic Seattle advocate for historic preservation?
Historic Seattle is a catalyst for community preservation action, a proactive motivator for heritage issues, and a respondent to specific preservation issues, concerns, and opportunities. After consideration by Historic Seattle's Council members, the Advocacy program was born in January, 2001 and expanded exponentially after the Nisqually earthquake on February 28 of that year. Since that time, the Preservation Advocate has initiated an online magazine, provided technical assistance with numerous historic properties, landmarked significant buildings, pressed preservation causes with elected officials and media reporters, and trained countless community activists.
To take part in Historic Seattle's Advocacy program or to learn more about how to become empowered to work on preservation in your neighborhood, contact the Preservation Advocate, Christine Palmer, at 206/622-5444 x 226, or at Christine@historicseattle.org.
What can you do right now to save the best of Seattle's built environment?
Educate yourself:
- Find out about local laws, planning and development regulations, preservation ordinances, and other regulatory measures the city and state have established. Knowing the law and the ways it protects (or doesn’t protect) historic resources is one of the first steps to advocating effectively for the preservation of the built environment. The City of Seattle’s Department of Planning and Development and Department of Neighborhoods have informative websites that provide information about buildings slated for alteration or demolition. They also post agendas for Landmarks Board meetings and other agency activities to track reviews of individual projects. See http://www.cityofseattle.net/ and search for the relevant department.
- Learn more about local history. Visit Seattle’s many historic sites to educate yourself about the history of your community or the larger metropolitan area. Explore neighborhoods on foot, take photographs, and gather information from long-time residents. Observing and recording the history of your home and neighborhood not only keeps a record for family, friends, and neighbors; it also makes you a more effective advocate for preservation. Stories connected to buildings and places remind us that they are intimately tied to written and remembered histories.
- Join a neighborhood group or community council, and get to know the local leaders, organizers of neighborhood watch groups, and other community activists. Most neighborhoods in Seattle support such organizations, which serve as an important liaison between the community and city officials. Knowing how these networks operate, and bringing preservation issues to the attention of these groups and individuals is a great way to get others involved in advocating for local and city-wide heritage resources, and can help protect the unique character of your neighborhood. Taking a leadership role in one of these groups is an even more effective way to enlist the help of city representatives in promoting your cause.
- Offer your research or writing skills for landmarks nominations, local preservation or heritage conservation plans, or other advocacy efforts undertaken by Historic Seattle, city agencies, and other groups. Learn about training opportunities from these organizations, and recruit other researchers to help with such efforts. Gathering material records, conducting deed research, and taking photographs are great ways to contribute to the protection of threatened buildings and sites.
- Participate in community outreach and education events such as National Preservation Month celebrated each May. Contact Historic Seattle or other preservation groups to volunteer for their planned activities, or organize an event in your own neighborhood to increase awareness of your community’s history and possible threats to its preservation.
- Join in hands-on preservation efforts in your neighborhood or larger community, such as the restoration of a house, church, or school for community, museum or other use. Donate your time, skills, or dollars in support of such projects. Hands-on experience gained in a group restoration project can be a valuable asset in sensitively remodeling your own historic home, another way to preserve Seattle’s neighborhoods one building at a time. This experience can also give you some perspective on what is required to preserve, protect, and re-use historic buildings and sites, and is a wonderful way to connect with other preservation-minded neighbors for future advocacy efforts.
Make your voice heard:
- Use the knowledge you have gained about preservation issues, tools, and techniques to effectively voice your support for preservation in your community. Become familiar with your local, state, and national representatives, and share your concerns with them on a regular basis. Using concise, accurate examples of the importance of historic sites and structures can bolster your case and is more persuasive than a simple request for attention or expression of concern.
- Vote. Larger issues of economic development, housing, and transportation have very real effects on preservation in Seattle, and your vote for elected officials and ballot initiatives can make a difference. Use the information in Historic Seattle’s website and newsletter and other published information to learn more about local politics and the connection to preservation, and make your vote count.
- Invest in your community. Money can often be more effective than words. Patronize locally owned establishments and companies that occupy and care for historic buildings, such as those in Pioneer Square. Rent from these businesses helps pay for the maintenance of the buildings they occupy, and strengthening local companies strengthens the neighborhood as a whole.
Join your voice with those of the larger preservation community:
- Become a member or contribute to Historic Seattle, the Washington Trust, and/or the National Trust for Historic Preservation. These organizations are devoted to the preservation, protection, and use of local, state, and national historic resources, and your contribution of time, money, research materials, or other resources will bolster these efforts and extend the power of your advocacy to make a significant difference in Seattle, in Washington, or the nation. To become a member of Historic Seattle, please click the red JOIN NOW button on the left side of the home page of this website.
If you would you like to receive e-mail notice of preservation action alerts, be sure to Sign up and be in the loop (far left column of this page).