The D.C. Historic Landmark and Historic District Protection Act protects all historic landmarks or structures that contribute to a historic district. Under the law, permit applications involving a property or building contributing to a historic district must be reviewed for historic compatibility by the D.C. Historic Preservation Office.

The Mayor’s Agent issues regulations, manages preservation programs and grants, and reports to the DC Council on implementation of the law. As part of the preservation review process, the Mayor’s Agent refers applications to the Historic Preservation Review Board (HPRB), provides public notice, considers all aspects of the public interest, and makes the findings required at the end of the process.

The Georgetown Law Library provides access to historic preservation decisions issued by the Mayor’s Agent of the District of Columbia as well as the D.C. Federal and local courts. Mayor’s Agent decision records include information about the property and often an analysis of the decision, as well as the decision itself.

Materials that supplement the Mayor’s Agent decisions include selected papers from the Historic Preservation Law Seminar, records from cases that have gone on to the District of Columbia Court of Appeals, and other resources for historic preservation law locally and nationally.

Go to the Historic Preservation Law collection.