A signed Historic Preservation Office (HPO) raze-clearance letter answers a preservation-review question. The District’s preservation guidance says it means either the property falls outside preservation law or demolition is authorized under it.
The letter does not show that the Department of Buildings (DOB) issued a raze permit. DOB’s guidance separately requires applicable signed letters before final review and issuance. Whether demolition happened is a third question.
If a file has a notice, HPO sheet and permit reference, label each by type. Preserve the printed address and quadrant, structure, and application reference. Join records only when the structure matches, beyond a shared street name.
Read the four documents at their own stage
- Blank or unsigned clearance form: shows that a review step was contemplated. HPO clearance shows only on the signed decision.
- Public notice or list entry: shows a proposed raze was noticed or listed for review. The signed HPO decision and the issued DOB permit come later. An application can exist without appearing on a list.
- Signed HPO clearance letter: records the preservation outcome stated in that letter. Read its actual basis, date, structure and reference. The preservation path can differ by property; only some files include a Historic Preservation Review Board decision or Mayor’s Agent order.
- Issued DOB raze permit: is the permit authorization to raze. Compare its address, scope and number with the HPO letter, then keep issuance separate from any later demolition, inspection or present-condition question.
HPO says a signed letter returns to the applicant, who is notified, so the applicant is the first place to ask for a copy. A clearance date and a permit issue date are different dates.
Build a document trail without merging identities
Imagine a fictional file for a building labeled “Structure A.” The packet contains an unsigned HPO form, a notice showing the proposed raze, a later signed HPO letter, and a DOB permit reference. Put each item on its own line with its issuer, document type, date and reference. The letter can answer what HPO decided; only the issued DOB permit answers whether DOB authorized the raze. Neither document alone tells you whether Structure A was actually demolished.
Match the same structure before joining the lines. Keep the full address and quadrant, structure name, agency references and record dates. A square-and-lot clue helps reconcile identity; confirm that both records use the same lot label. The DC square-and-lot guide explains that identity question.
If letter and permit identify different structures or addresses, preserve the conflict, whichever is dated later. Ask the relevant office which application reference joins them. The word “approved” on an intermediate sheet counts only when its issuer and decision scope are clear.
Recover the particular missing record
When the signed HPO letter is missing, ask HPO for that named decision through the Office of Planning preservation page or its general phone, (202) 442-7600.
When the issued DOB permit is missing, start from DOB’s records information page, which points to eRecords, and ask for the issued raze-permit record by type and approximate year.
Give either office the printed address and quadrant, structure description, application or permit reference if known, approximate year, and the exact document sought. State what you have: a notice, an unsigned form, a signed letter, a permit reference, or a copy of the issued permit. Ask for the one unresolved decision record rather than a reconstructed property history.
An access error, a completed search with no match, and a retrieved file with no signed attachment are different observations. DOB’s Scout offers address and permit-number searches; note which of these outcomes you hit before asking for help.
A missing online result leaves open whether razing was lawful, whether a permit issued, and whether the site is safe today. For the wider evidence limits, see what building permit records show.
DC Office of Planning preservation and DOB raze and records pages checked October 6, 2026.