Historic District
Chair: Monica Morse | Committee: Annemarie Conroy, Patricia Duff, Julia Paige
Contact: historicdistrict@ithasf.org
We need you.
Support Ingleside Terraces’ application to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places.
What We Do
In 2008, Ingleside Terraces Homes Association began the work to apply to be listed on the National Register of Historic Places. The ITHA Historic District Special Committee was formed in March 2024 to move the work forward, in partnership with SF Heritage.
We've retained Page & Turnbull, an architectural consulting firm, to help prepare the necessary report and supporting documentation, with volunteers from Ingleside Terraces. Working with Page & Turnbull, we will document details about every property and feature in Ingleside Terraces, including the property’s architectural style, architect, age and modification history. The extensive application process takes 12-18 months to complete.
SF Heritage is a 501(c)3 California nonprofit corporation with a mission to preserve and enhance San Francisco's unique architectural and cultural identity. SF Heritage is acting as the fiscal sponsor for ITHA’s Historic District application. All donations are tax deductible. Also, donations can go farther with matching gifts from employers. Learn more.
Map Image Courtesy of www.sfog.us
What is the National Register of Historic Places?
The National Register lists places worthy of preservation because of their significance in American history, architecture, archeology, engineering, and culture. California resources listed in the National Register are automatically listed in the California Register of Historical Resources.
Why is Ingleside Terraces historic?
Ingleside Terraces was established in 1911 by architect and developer Joseph A. Leonard. Today, it is one of the most intact examples of a garden residence park in San Francisco, with 742 detached homes in the architectural style of Craftsman, Edwardian, Spanish Colonial Revival, and Mediterranean (check out the archival photos). SF Planning considers Ingleside Terraces eligible for the California Register of Historical Resources (Category A: Historic resource present, meaning the property is a local landmark, listed in a historical register, or eligible for listing). The landmarked Sundial and Cecil F. Poole house, the stone entry portals, the existence of a predevelopment historic racetrack on Urbano Drive, and the fact that the land itself was an assembly place for the city’s residents after the 1906 earthquake also contribute to Ingleside Terraces’ historical significance.
90 Cedro. San Francisco Landmark #213
Photo Courtesy www.sfog.us
What is the value to Ingleside Terraces' property owners?
It protects your property rights. Historic district designation retains your control over changes to your home and our neighborhood. It means proposed projects will still require neighborhood meetings and allow comments from the public. Without designation, new state housing laws will do away with routine city review and your right to express your views or comment on multifamily construction in your single family neighborhood.
This historic designation will empower SF Planning to ensure the impact reviews happen. SF Planning has designated us as “eligible” and this designation will clarify it for them, for future developers who want to change the character of our neighborhood without respect for our community.
In addition, contributing homes have access to tax benefits through a program called the Mills Act which affords homeowners the ability to deduct some home improvements costs property taxes. Click for more details on preservation incentives.
Finally, this designation recognizes our historical significance for and within San Francisco. Our neighborhoods – like the other garden residence parks - are important to San Francisco.
What is the impact on Ingleside Terraces' property owners?
Today, Ingleside Terraces Homes Association already works to maintain the character of our historic neighborhood through rigorous architectural design reviews and input to SF Planning.
If Ingleside Terraces becomes listed on the National Register of Historic Places, property owners only need to maintain the character of the exterior architecture that’s visible from the sidewalk and street, and are still able to make changes and additions (including ADUs) to their homes.
In addition, there’s an extensive list of work that doesn’t need approval from Historic Preservation Commission which simplifies many projects. Generally, homes within historic districts see their values increase, so historic designation has that added benefit.
What if a property has had material exterior changes since it was built?
In the application process, each property and element will be assessed and classified as “contributing” or “not contributing” to the historic district. A contributing property or resource is any building, object, or structure which either adds to the historical integrity of the district or has architectural qualities that make the historic district significant.
For Ingleside Terraces, properties that are newer or have had significant material changes to their original design would not be considered contributing. A historic district can have a small percent of non-contributing properties and still be considered historic.
Could our application be denied?
As with any application, there is a possibility our request for designation could be denied. However, we are confident that our application to be listed will be successful given our existing Category A status as an eligible historic resource and inclusion in SF Planning’s Residence Parks Historic Context Statement. Precedent has also been established by St. Francis Woods, another residence park, which went through the application process and was designated in 2022.
Questions? email historicdistrict@ithasf.org