How to Apply for a Lighthouse Property under the NHLPA Program

Step 1 When the Federal Government determines a light station property to be excess to its needs, the General Services Administration (GSA) will issue a "Notice of Availability" (NOA) for the property. The National Historic Lighthouse Preservation Act of 2000, 16 U.S.C. 470, makes the property available at no cost to eligible entities for education, park, recreation, cultural, or historic preservation purposes. Eligible entities include Federal Agencies, state and local agencies, non-profit corporations, educational agencies, or community development organizations.

Step 2 Any eligible entity with an interest in acquiring the described property for an allowable use stated above, must submit a letter of interest to GSA and a copy to the State Historic Preservation Officer within 60 days of the date of the NOA.

Letters of interest must include:
Name of property
Name of eligible entity
Point of contact, title, address, phone and email
Non-profit agencies must provide a copy of their state-certified
articles of incorporation

GSA will forward a list of eligible entities from information provided in these letters to the National Park Service (NPS).

Step 3 NPS will send an application to eligible entities that have submitted a complete letter of interest. Eligible entities will then be given an opportunity to inspect the property.

Step 4 The completed application must be submitted to the NPS 90 days after receipt of the application. The NPS will review applications and select an eligible entity to receive the property. GSA will complete the conveyance to the selected recipient.

Step 5 If no acceptable steward is found at the end of the NHLPA application process, the property will be offered for sale by competitive bid or auction. Lighthouses for sale will be posted at http://www.propertydisposal.gsa.gov/Property/ (Please note there have only been a few lighthouse sales in the past decade but more may be available under the NHLPA process.)