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1973–November 2026
The City of South Bend's own Historic Preservation Commission page states the founding fact: the Commission "was established by Ordinance in 1973." The Historic Preservation Commission of South Bend and St. Joseph County is the joint city–county body that resulted. Its governing law sits in two codes, cited on every certificate of appropriateness it issues: Chapter 21 (Zoning) of the South Bend Municipal Code, and Chapter 26 of the St. Joseph County Code — the county chapter is what carries the regime over unincorporated ground, including Clay and Harris townships. A 1999 amendment (Ordinance 9555-99, passed 22 March 1999) added interim protection for proposed landmarks, closing the loophole under which a nominated building could be altered or demolished before its designation ordinance passed.
The Commission's powers, stated on its own page: it is "granted powers to draft preservation guidelines and plans, advise other agencies on matters concerning historic sites and structures, and assist and educate the public"; it recommends sites, structures and neighbourhoods to the councils for landmark and district designation, which takes legal effect only by ordinance of the designating council; and once designation is made, the Commission "serves as the agency that administers the preservation standards required by the designation," chiefly through the Certificate of Appropriateness (COA), valid one year from issue, without which permitted work on a landmark or in a district may not proceed. Its jurisdiction "includes the City of South Bend and the unincorporated areas of St. Joseph County."
Its membership form: a nine-member board of appointed citizens — two appointed by the County Commissioners, two by the South Bend Common Council, two by the County Council, two by the Mayor of South Bend, each appointing body naming one Democrat and one Republican, and a ninth member, the Architectural Historian, chosen by the other eight; three-year terms. As of November 2026 (the Commission page as updated 29 July 2026) five seats are filled — Sarah Andrews, President (County Commissioners' appointee, term to 31 December 2026); Kathryn Hough, Vice President (County Commissioners, to 19 November 2028); Michael Skaggs, Secretary (County Council, to 28 February 2026, a term date the page carries as printed); Andrew Fowler (Mayoral, to 31 December 2028); Ryan Palczynski (County Council, to 28 February 2029) — and four seats stand vacant: both Common Council seats, one mayoral seat, and the Architectural Historian. The Commission meets on the third Monday of each month at 6 p.m.; its November 2026 meeting falls on 16 November 2026.