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                  SECURITIES AND EXCHANGE COMMISSION

                        Washington, D.C. 20549

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                            Schedule 14D-9

                 Solicitation/Recommendation Statement

                  Pursuant to Section 14(d)(4) of the

                    Securities Exchange Act of 1934

                     Century Properties Fund XVII
                       (Name of Subject Company)
                                   

                     Century Properties Fund XVII
                   (Name of Person Filing Statement)
                                   
                 Unit of Limited Partnership Interest
                    (Title of Class of Securities)

                                 None
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                 (CUSIP Number of Class of Securities)

                             Martin Lifton
                    NPI Equity Investments II, Inc.
                        100 Jericho Quadrangle
                               Suite 214
                        Jericho, New York 11753
                            (516) 822-0022

             (Name, Address and Telephone Number of Person
           Authorized to Receive Notices and Communications
             on Behalf of the Person(s) filing Statement)

                               Copy to:

                           David J. Heymann
                          Post & Heymann, LLP
                        100 Jericho Quadrangle
                        Jericho, New York 11753
                            (516) 681-3636

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1.  Security and Subject Company

  The name of the subject partnership is Century Properties Fund XVII, a
California limited partnership (the "Partnership"), and the address of
its principal executive offices is 5665 Northside Drive, N.W., Suite
370, Atlanta, Georgia 30328.  The title of the class of equity
securities to which this Statement relates is Units of Limited
Partnership Interest of the Partnership ("Units").

2.  Tender Offer of the Bidder

  This Statement relates to the tender offer of DeForest Ventures I L.P.,
a Delaware limited partnership (the "Purchaser"), to purchase up to
15,309 outstanding Units at a purchase price of $83.38 per Unit,
pursuant to the terms and conditions of an Offer to Purchase dated June
2, 1995, and the related Letter of Transmittal (together, the "Offer"). 
The Offer is being made pursuant to a tender offer statement on Schedule
14D-1 dated June 2, 1995.

  The address of the executive offices of the Purchaser is 5665 Northside
Drive, N.W., Suite 370, Atlanta, Georgia 30328.

3.  Identity and Background

  (a)  The name and business address of the Partnership, which is the person
filing this Statement, are set forth in Item 1 above.

  (b)  DeForest Capital I Corporation, the general partner of the Purchaser
("DeForest Capital"), is affiliated with NPI Equity Investments II,
Inc., the entity which controls the general partners of the Partnership
(together, the "General Partner").

  Certain Relationships.  The General Partner owns a 2% interest in the
Partnership and thus receives, as a continuing interest in the
Partnership, an amount equal to a 2% allocation of the Partnership's
profits and losses, and 2% of distributions.  The General Partner and its
affiliates are also entitled to be reimbursed for certain expenses and
to receive fees pursuant to the terms of the Partnership Agreement.  For
information as to the amounts paid to the General Partner and its
affiliates during the last three fiscal years and the three months ended
March 31, 1995 see Note 2 to the Financial Statements of the Partnership
in the Form 10-K of the Partnership for the fiscal year ended December
31, 1994 and Note 2 to the Financial Statements of the Partnership in
the Form 10-Q of the Partnership for the three months ended March 31, 1995.

                                   2

  Tender Offer Loan.  As disclosed in the Offer, the Purchaser has
obtained a loan in connection with consummation of the Offer. One of
several sources of repayment of such loan is the Purchaser's
distributable portion of the proceeds of any sales or refinancings of
Partnership properties.  Consequently, the General Partner may have a
conflict of interest in determining whether and when to sell and/or
refinance the Partnership's properties.  In addition, because the terms

of the loan will require a payment by the Purchaser after a property sale
or refinancing by the Partnership (whether or not the proceeds of such
sale or refinancing are distributed by the Partnership), a conflict of
interest may exist for the General Partner in determining whether and
when to cause the Partnership to distribute any of such proceeds.

4.  The Solicitation or Recommendation

  Because of the conflict of interest inherent in the fact that the
General Partner is, as described above, an affiliate of the Purchaser,
the Partnership is making no recommendation and is remaining neutral as
to whether Unitholders should tender their Units pursuant to the Offer.

5.  Persons Retained, Employed or to be Compensated

  Neither the Partnership nor any person acting on its behalf has or
currently intends to employ, retain or compensate any person or class of
persons to make solicitations or recommendations to Unitholders on its
behalf concerning the Offer.

6.  Certain Negotiations and Transactions by the Subject Company

  (a)  None

  (b)  Except for 21,725 Units beneficially owned by the Purchaser and 125
Units beneficially owned by affiliates of the General Partner, none of
which will be tendered in the Offer, neither the Partnership nor any
executive officer, director, affiliate or subsidiary of the Partnership
owns any Units.

7.  Additional Information to be Furnished

  None.

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8.  Material to be Filed as Exhibits

   The following Exhibits are filed herewith:

   Exhibit (a)(i)  -  Offer to Purchase of the Purchaser dated June 2, 1995

   Exhibit (a)(ii) -  Cover Letter to Unitholders from the Partnership
                      dated June 2, 1995

   Exhibit (b)     -  None

   Exhibit (c)(i)  -  Note 2 to the financial statements of the Partnership
                      included in the Form 10-K of the Partnership for the 
                      fiscal year ended December 31, 1994.

   Exhibit (c)(ii) -  Note 2 to the financial statements of the Partnership 
                      included in the Form 10-Q of the Partnership for the 
                      three months ended March 31, 1995.


                               SIGNATURE

  After reasonable inquiry and to the best of my knowledge and belief, I
certify that the information set forth in this Statement is true, complete 
and correct.

                                       CENTURY PROPERTIES FUND XVII

                                       By: FOX PARTNERS, its General Partner

                                       By: FOX CAPITAL MANAGEMENT
                                           CORPORATION, its General Partner

Date:  June 2, 1995                    By: /s/ Martin Lifton   
                                           --------------------------------
                                           Martin Lifton, Chairman


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