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Nevada state historic preservation officer briefs Las Vegas commission on funding stability, staffing and NevCRIS improvements
Summary
Arthur Krupich, Nevada State Historic Preservation Officer, said federal Historic Preservation Fund outlook has stabilized through 2027, SHPO is pursuing staffing and efficiency improvements, and the NevCRIS mapping/database will be expanded and modernized.
Arthur Krupich, the new state historic preservation officer for Nevada, told the Las Vegas Historic Preservation Commission that the federal funding picture that supports state SHPO offices has stabilized and that his office is focusing on staffing, digital efficiency and outreach to local commissions.
Krupich said Nevada's SHPO has submitted applications for its latest federal allocation from the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) and that current indications show funding intact through September 2027. "That is actually now stabilizing... we just put in for our most recent... pot of money... we should hear soon, and it's looking now like our funding at the SHPO is stable until September 2027," Krupich said.
He described a two-pronged approach to improving service: hiring to fill vacancies and streamlining internal processes so project reviews do not become a source of delay. "We are making a push... to get out on social media, work with our community members... and even before we fill our open positions, I want all of you to know that, I'm working actively with staff on ways to become more efficient," he said.
Krupich reviewed NevCRIS, the Nevada Cultural Resource Information System, describing it as a restricted mapping and records application used by qualified professionals to view recorded archaeological sites and many historic buildings statewide. He said NevCRIS has added new reporting features, polygon uploads for project areas, and is becoming more efficient for practitioners and agency review. "It's a mapping app that shows literally all the archaeology sites and many of the historic buildings in our state that have been recorded," Krupich said.
On digital submissions, Krupich said the SHPO historically relied on paper and is evaluating platforms — in-house or commercial — to accept digital project records and speed turnaround. He also said he intends to increase in-person presence in Las Vegas and elsewhere around the state, contingent on budget, and pledged a customer-service approach to help local commissions and applicants navigate standards and approvals.
Krupich said the SHPO continues to uphold the Secretary of the Interior's standards while seeking ways to facilitate rehabilitation projects and reduce administrative delay. He invited local commissions to expect more regular communication and training and said the SHPO will work to support CLG (Certified Local Government) grants and context studies, noting there were no immediate changes to CLG funding levels.
The commission asked about historic-context reports and CLG priorities; Krupich said expanding and making context statements more geographically and demographically inclusive is a priority. No formal action was taken on the report.
