Los Angeles Conservancy

The Los Angeles Conservancy seeks to work through education and advocacy to recognize, preserve and revitalize the historic architectural and cultural resources of Los Angeles County. We raise awareness for historic places, prevent their needless demolition, and empower people to save the places they love. One of our primary aims is to work with our community partners to manage changes to Los Angeles’ built environment by championing the revitalization of historic buildings for adaptive reuse.

The L.A. Conservancy has a vision of Los Angeles as a place that values our past and considers it an essential part of our present and future.

The Los Angeles Conservancy has a variety of education, advocacy, and communications initiatives that further the organization’s mission to recognize, preserve and revitalize the historic architectural and cultural resources of Los Angeles County.

The Education department offers programs that highlight the architecture and communities that have shaped the history of Los Angeles for Angelenos and tourists alike. The Advocacy department works with stakeholders in the development, planning, and preservation communities to manage changes to Los Angeles’ built environment, often directly nominating historic buildings in Los Angeles County as Historic Cultural Monuments. The communications department manages a robust website and outreach program that keeps Angelenos informed about issues related to preservation.

The Conservancy is staffed by 17 full time employees and hundreds of skilled volunteers. With a budget of just under $3 million, the Conservancy’s primary objective is to ensure that preservation is an important part of public policy, urban planning, and public consciousness in Los Angeles. The Conservancy’s reach is considerable, with nearly 6,000 member households and 743,000 annual web visits.

Over our 41 year history, the Conservancy has successfully advocated for the preservation of buildings that make Los Angeles unique, including the Cathedral of St. Vibiana, the Century Plaza Hotel, and the former May Company Building, which is slated to become the Academy Museum of Motion Pictures this year, among many others.

In addition, since 2017, the Conservancy has also successfully prioritized growing our Youth Education programming. These services empower our youngest community members by giving them the skills and knowledge they need to succeed as growing stakeholders in their changing communities. Moving forward, the Los Angeles Conservancy is committed to continue growing these programs and bringing history, architecture, and a passion for preservation to young people.