Exhibit 31.1
                                  Certification
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                        I Paul H. Pfleger, certify that:

1)   I have reviewed this quarterly report on Form 10-QSB of Urban Improvement
     Fund Limited 1974, LP;

2)   Based on my knowledge, this annual report does not contain any untrue
     statement of a material fact or omit to state a material fact necessary to
     make the statements made, in the light of the circumstances under which
     such statements were made, not misleading with respect to the period
     covered by this quarterly report;

3)   Based on my knowledge, the financial statements, and other financial
     information included in this annual report, fairly present in all material
     respects the financial condition, results of operations and cash flow of
     the registrant as of, and for, the periods presented in this quarterly
     report;

4)   The registrant's other certifying officers and I are responsible for
     establishing and maintaining disclosure controls and procedures (as defined
     in Exchange Act Rules 13a-14 and 15d-14) for the registrant and we have:

     a.   Designed such disclosure controls and procedures to ensure that
          material information relating to the registrant, including its
          consolidated subsidiaries, is made known to us by others within those
          entities, particularly during the period in which this quarterly
          report is being prepared;

     b.   Evaluated the effectiveness of the registrant's disclosure controls
          and procedures as of a date within 90 days prior to the filing date of
          this quarterly report (the "Evaluation Date"); and

     c.   Presented in this annual report our conclusions about the
          effectiveness of the disclosure controls and procedures based on our
          evaluation as of the Evaluation Date;

5)   The registrant's other certifying officers and I have disclosed, based on
     our most recent evaluation, to the registrant's auditors and the audit
     committee of registrant's board of directors (or persons performing the
     equivalent functions):

     a.   All significant deficiencies in the design or operation of internal
          controls which would adversely affect the registrant's ability to
          record, process, summarize and report financial data and have
          identified for the registrant's auditors any material weaknesses in
          internal controls; and

     b.   Any fraud, whether or not material, that involves management or other
          employees who have a significant role in the registrant's internal
          controls;

6)   The registrant's other certifying officers and I have indicated in this
     annual report whether or not there were significant changes in internal
     controls or in other factors that could significantly affect internal
     controls subsequent to the date of our most recent evaluation, including
     any corrective actions with regard to significant deficiencies and material
     weaknesses.

Date:                                 /s/Paul H. Pfleger
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                                      Paul H. Pfleger
                                      Chairman of the Board
                                      Interfinancial Real Estate Company,
                                      equivalent of the
                                      Chief Executive Officer of the Partnership