The Fight Isn't Over: Arizona SHPO Still Needs You

Your voices are being heard.

In the last month, the Governor’s Office and state lawmakers have received a steady stream of messages from historic preservation advocates across Arizona. That matters. But the job’s not done. Now, mayors, city and town council members, and county supervisors need to hear from you too. They must understand what’s at stake.

SHPO is in Crisis

Arizona’s State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) is about to run out of money. By August 2025, unless the state steps in, SHPO will cease operations. The cause: delays in federal grant reimbursements and no dedicated funding in the state budget. Without a stopgap measure now and a real appropriation in FY26, SHPO’s work ends. That means broken federal compliance, stalled infrastructure projects, and lost history.

How We Got Here

SHPO runs lean – just 12 full-time employees. About 87% of their budget comes from the federal Historic Preservation Fund (HPF). The rest is patched together through small state sources and volunteer hours from over 500 Site Stewards. There’s no direct state funding line in the current FY26 budget. No reimbursement yet for 2025 federal grants. And if the proposed Trump Administration budget cuts are revived, there may be no 2026 federal funding at all.

No state action means the doors close.

What SHPO Does

In 2024, SHPO reviewed 1,451 federal and state projects under the National Historic Preservation Act – with most reviews completed in 20 days. Only 2% of those flagged for significant issues. SHPO is the quiet backbone for energy projects, housing, mining, water systems, rail extensions, and more.

Lose SHPO, and reviews get kicked to Washington – to the federal Advisory Council on Historic Preservation. Delays could grow from weeks to months. Projects grind to a halt. SHPOs in Ohio, Oklahoma, and Oregon have already laid off staff.

What’s at Risk

• Broadband deployment

• Colorado River operations

• Solar farms, highways, light rail, flood control

• Affordable housing projects and mine permitting

• Clean water systems, international ports of entry

The list goes on.

Without SHPO, local governments lose access to grants and guidance. Developers can’t claim tax credits for historic rehab. Tribes lose a key partner in cultural resource protection. Rural towns lose tourism. And Arizona loses irreplaceable sites to neglect, looting, and destruction.

What Needs to Happen

• Immediate state bridge funding to keep SHPO running through FY25

• A permanent line item in the FY26 state budget

• Investment in GIS and digital tools to speed up SHPO’s work

What You Can Do

Write. Call. Let your elected officials know: the clock is ticking.

Governor Katie Hobbs, your state legislators, your county supervisors, your local council members – they all need to hear from you. Tell them this is urgent. Tell them this matters. Tell them that Arizona’s heritage isn’t disposable.

There’s still time to save SHPO. But not much.