CEQA & environmental
Historical resource (CEQA)
A resource listed in or eligible for the California Register (Pub. Res. Code § 21084.1) — a substantial adverse change to it is a significant CEQA impact.
Definition
Under the CEQA statute (§ 21084.1), a historical resource is one listed in, or determined eligible for, the California Register of Historical Resources — the register framework itself sits in the state's historical-resources law — plus resources in local registers or qualifying surveys, which are presumed historical. A project causing a substantial adverse change (demolition or material alteration that impairs significance) has a significant effect; work conforming to the Secretary of the Interior's Standards is generally treated as mitigated below significance.
Why it matters in an underwrite
Eligibility is enough — a building never listed anywhere can still be a historical resource, and structures around the 45–50 year mark routinely require professional evaluation. A positive finding is expensive: it defeats categorical exemptions (Guidelines § 15300.2(f)), can force an EIR for a demolition-based deal, and demolition of a historical resource is typically an unavoidable significant impact requiring overriding findings. Commission the historic resource evaluation in diligence, before tying up a mid-century property.
Sources & related guides
See also
See the term in the law itself
Read the controlling text in the Code Library, or ask the AI how it applies to your project.
Last reviewed 2026-07-29. General information, not legal advice.