Aurora staff review $1 million historic‑preservation grant round; 39 applications submitted

City planning staff briefed the finance committee on the summer 2025 historic‑preservation grant round, reporting 39 applications and recommending awards for projects ranked 1 through 3 by the Preservation Commission.

Jill Morgan, senior planner, said the city allocated $1 million to the program this year, expanded eligibility to include owner‑occupied and rental properties up to five living units, and raised the program maximum from $20,000 to $30,000. Morgan also said grants at or under $15,000 require no cash match; amounts over $15,000 require a dollar‑for‑dollar cash match for every dollar above $15,000. The final $1,000 of the grant can be applied toward the homeowner match if the recipient uses a local contractor.

The applications cover a range of work — tuckpointing, window restoration, chimney and porch repair, structural stabilization — and Morgan said the commission prioritized owner‑occupied projects and projects with high public benefit, visibility and preservation of original materials. Examples presented to the committee included a $31,000 grant request for tuckpointing and window repair at 77 South U Street (a local landmark), porch restorations at 231 South Fourth Street ($6,435) and 335 South Lincoln ($15,400), and multiple window‑restoration requests in Tanner and the near‑east side.

Committee members asked about outreach and timing; Morgan said staff had increased outreach this year (district open houses, targeted mailings and signage) and that the preservation commission recommended reserving funds for a second application round this fall. The item was presented as information only and will go to the committee of the whole for further consideration.