Preservation Action, Legislative Update
Volume 21, Number 14, May 11, 2018 →
1. Sec. Zinke Testifies Before Senate Appropriations Subcommittee on the FY19 Budget Request
2. Legislation That Dramatically Undermines Missouri’s Historic Tax Credit Passes State House. Senate Could Vote Soon
3. Advocates Continue Effort to Reinstate Michigan’s Historic Tax Credit Program
4. Celebrate Preservation Month
5. Stories From Around the States
Preservation Action, Legislative Update
Volume 21, Number 13, May 04, 2018 →
1. Effort to Reauthorize the Land and Water Conservation Fund Continues
2. 29 Senators Sign-on to the Historic Preservation Fund Dear Colleague Letter
3. Preservation Action Continues to Recognize Champions of the Historic Tax Credit
4. Celebrate Preservation Month
5. Stories From Around the States
Preservation Action, Legislative Update
Volume 21, Number 11, April 13, 2018 →
Congress is currently in the process of determining funding levels for Fiscal Year 2019 (FY19). During this critical time, we need to reach out to members of congress and encourage robust funding for the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF).The House HPF Dear Colleague Letter was sent to the House Appropriations Committee last month and received support from 117 Representatives, the most we’ve seen in several years. The FY18 Omnibus spending bill also included substantial increases for the HPF. Let’s keep up that momentum and make sure the HPF is well positioned as we enter the FY19 appropriations process. Urge your Senators to sign on to the Senate FY19 HPF Dear Colleague Letter today!
The Senate HPF Dear Colleague Letter request $97.9 million in funding for the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) for FY19. Including, $53 million for State Historic PreservationOffices (SHPOs), $14 million for Tribal Historic Preservation Offices (THPOs), $500,000 for grants to underserved communities, $7 million for the Save America’s Treasures grant program, and $5 million for preservation grants to revitalize historic properties of national, State, and local significance. This request also includes $13 million for the Civil Rights competitive grants initiative and $5 million for competitive grants for Historically Black Colleges and Universities.
Senate FY19 HPF Dear Colleague Letter →
TAKE ACTION
Contact your Senators and request that they sign onto the FY19 Historic Preservation Fund Dear Colleague Appropriations letter being circulated by Sen. Kristin Gillibrand (D-NY) and Sen. Bill Cassidy (R-LA). To maximize the impact of this letter we need as many Senators as possible to sign on.
If you already have a personal contact in your Senators office reach out to that person directly. If you don’t have a personal contact, find the contact information for your Senators office and reach out to their DC office and ask to speak with the Interior Appropriations staffer.
To sign onto the letter, Senate offices should contact Jon Cardinal in Sen. Gillbrand’s (D-NY) office at 202-224-4451 or jon_cardinal@gillibrand.senate.gov, or contact Ron Anderson in Sen. Cassidy’s (R-LA) office at 202-224-5824 or ron_anderson@cassidy.senate.gov. The deadline to sign on to the HPF Dear Colleague Letter is COB on Friday, April 27th. Reach out to your senators today!
Celebrate National Historic Preservation Month this May! Tours, special programs and events celebrating all things preservation, will be happening across the country throughout May. Let us know what your city or state is doing to celebrate Preservation Month!
Preservation Month Site Visits
National Historic Preservation Month is a great time to reach out to your members of Congress and their staff, and invite them to tour a historic tax credit project or join a Preservation Month event. Preservation Action is working to leverage Preservation Month as a great opportunity for members of Congress to visit historic tax credit projects and other historic sites in their district/state. The co-chairs of the Historic Preservation Caucus, Representatives Mike Turner (R-OH) and Earl Blumenauer (D-OR), along with Preservation Action, sent a letterto House members recognizing Preservation Month and encouraging site visits while in district. The House and Senate will be on an in-district period April 30 – May 4 and again May 28 – June 1. One thing we heard time and time again from congressional staff during Advocacy Week was site visits help to show members of Congress the tangible impact of programs like the Historic Tax Credit and Historic Preservation Fund. If your member/s of congress are unavailable for a site visit, invite congressional staff; this is still great way to highlight the impact of preservation in their state. Preservation Action will host a Preservation Month Hill briefing to encourage members of Congress and their staff to celebrate Preservation Month.
Contact Rob Naylor with Preservation Action at rnaylor@preservationaction.org if you need assistance facilitating a site visit. Be sure to share stories and photos from your site visits with us on Facebook and Twitter!
The National Alliance of Preservation Commissions announced the release of Design Review With Limited Resources: How Local Commissions Can Gain the Resources of Professional Preservationists Without Hiring Full-Time Staff. Produced in partnership with Middle Tennessee State University’s Center for Historic Preservation, the publication explores the variety of methods that commissions without professional preservation staff use to conduct design review.
Design Review with Limited Resources is available to download at no cost. Hardcopies are also being distributed to Certified Local Government coordinators in all 50 states.
“Many design review boards have the luxury of professional preservation staff to assist, but many more do not,” said Robin Ziegler, author. “This publication will inform communities that are working to preserve their historic resources through design review but, for whom the budget won’t allow full time paid professional staff.”
The guide came about after an educational session to brainstorm the future of staffless commissions at FORUM 2016, in Mobile, Alabama, NAPC’s biennial conference focused on the issues facing local historic preservation commissions that conduct design review. Zeigler will lead an update educational session on this topic at FORUM 2018 in Des Moines, Iowa, July 18-22, 2018.
Traditional Building: “Historic Tax Credit, Take Two”
New York Times: “Will U.S Withdraw From Unesco Affect Heritage Sites”
The Hill: “Seeking to Right the Wrong of Ending Protect to Bears Ears”
New York: “Preservation League Announces Annual Seven to Save”
District of Columbia: “Boundary Stones: The Quest to Save DC’s 1st Federal Monuments”
New York: “Assemby Member Seeks to Turn Historic Properties Into Classroom Settings”
Missouri: “City Officials Move Toward Next Steps In Process Of Establishing National Historic Park“
Preservation Action, Legislative Update
Volume 21, Number 07, March 23, 2018 →
The FY18 Omnibus Spending Bill, which funds the government through September, was released this week and includes $96.91 million for the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF), a $16 million increase over FY17 levels. This is great news for the preservation community, especially after the Administration’s request called for substantial cuts to the HPF. The increased funding levels included in the bill will have a substantial impact on preservation efforts across the country. The funding includes an $8 million increase for the Save America’s Treasures program, $1 million increase each for SHPOs and THPOs, and $5 million for a new competitive grant program to revitalize historic properties of national, state, and local significance. A total breakdown of the HPF is below.
$48.925 million for State Historic Preservation Offices, $1m increase
$11.485 million for Tribal Historic Preservation Offices, $1m increase
$13 million for Civil Rights grants, equal to FY17
$13 million for Save America’s Treasures grants, $8m increase
$5 million for HBCU preservation, $1m increase
$500,000 for underserved communities grants, equal to FY17
$5 million in competitive grants to revitalize historic properties of national, state and local significance, not included in FY17
The Omnibus spending bill also includes $20.32 million, a $500,000 increase, for the Heritage Partnership Program which supports National Heritage Areas and $10 million for the American Battlefield Protection Program, a $1.519 million increase over FY17 levels.
The House and Senate passed the Omnibus spending bill with broad bipartisan support, however many conservatives have expressed concern about the increase in spending. Despite expressing unease with the bill and process, President Trump signed the $1.3 trillion spending bill into law, averting a potential government shutdown. Prior to the spending bill, the federal government was operating under it’s 5th Continuing Resolution (CR) since September.
A bipartisan group of 117 members of Congress signed on to the FY19 Historic Preservation Fund Request Dear Colleague Letter. The letter received 20 more signatures than the FY18 dear colleague letter and is the most members of we’ve had sign the letter in several years. The letter was submitted to the House Appropriations Interior Subcommittee chairman, Ken Calvert (R-CA) and Ranking Member, Betty McCollum (D-MN).
The HPF Dear Colleague letter calls for increased funding for State and Tribal Historic Preservation Officers and continued support for competitive grant programs like the Civil Rights grant program and Save America’s Treasures.
Thank you to everyone that reached out to their members of Congress, urging them to sign-on to this important letter. We’d especially also like to thank the Historic Preservation Caucus Co-Chairs Rep. Mike Turner (R-OH) and Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and their offices for their leadership on this letter.
Below are the representatives that signed-on to the HPF Dear Colleague letter. Did your member sign-on? Be sure to thank them for their critical support.
FY18 HPF Dear Colleague Letter Signers →
Good news in New York. The one House budget bill from the New York Assembly and Senate include the recommended changes to the state’s historic tax credit program advocated by preservation and business leaders in New York. The Assembly and Senate budget would decouple the state’s historic tax credit program from the federal program and extend the program through 2024. Now a final budget will be negotiated by the Governor, the Assembly and the state Senate and is due by April 1st.
Currently New York’s state historic tax credit is coupled with the federal Historic Tax Credit, which will be phased in over 5 years after recent changes made during tax reform deliberations. The program is also due to sunset at the end of 2019. Supporters argue that not making these changes threatens the future of New York’s historic tax credit. Adding that the uncertainty of the program is already impacting projects in the pipeline.
Check out the Preservation League of New York State for more updates.
We just concluded a great National Historic Preservation Advocacy Week in Washington, DC last week. Thanks to all of your efforts we conducted nearly 200 meetings, representing 40 states. Thank you to everyone that helped make Advocacy Week 2018 a huge success.
We will have a full recap on Advocacy Week 2018 shortly, but in the meantime, if you completed meetings, please submit your Advocacy Week Hill Report Forms. Knowing how your meetings went is critical for our continued advocacy. You can complete your report form online or return completed forms to mail@preservationaction.org.
Complete Your 2018 Hill Report Forms Today →
National Park Service: “National Park Week: Three Bookmark-Worthy Resources to Help You Plan”
National Trust Community Investment Corporation: “A Memorable March: NTCIC Advocates for Continued HTC Support”
Rhode Island: “Report: Historic Preservation Generates $1.4 Billion For RI Economy”
Maryland: “Recap: Federal Preservation Advocacy Week in Washington, DC”
New York: “Editorial: Keep the State Historic Tax Credit”
Vermont: “33 Preservation Grants Awarded for Buildings, Barns”
Preservation Action, Legislative Update
Volume 21, Number 05, February 16, 2018 →
The Trump Administration released their FY19 budget request this week. The request calls for substantial cuts to programs important to preservation, including a more than 50% cut the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF). The request eliminates funding for HPF grant programs like the Civil Rights Grants, HBCU preservation program, and Save America’s Treasures. The request also dramatically reduces funding State and Tribal Historic Preservation Programs.
President Trump’s FY18 HPF Budget Request
SHPOs: $26.9 million ($20.6 million below FY17 levels)
THPOs: $5.7 million ($4.6 million below FY17 levels)
Civil Rights Grants: funding not requested ($13 million below FY17 levels)
HBCU Preservation Program: funding not requested ($4 million below FY17 levels)
Save America’s Treasures: funding not requested ($5 million below FY17 levels)
Underrepresented Community Grants: funding not requested ($500,000 below FY17 levels)
The massive cuts to the HPF would be devastating for historic preservation across the country and greatly undermine the ability of SHPOs and THPOs to carry out their requirements under the National Historic Preservation Act.
The FY19 budget request also proposes the elimination of the Heritage Partnership Program, which funds National Heritage Areas (NHA). The program is currently funded at $19.8 million. The budget also eliminates the National Endowment or the Arts (NEA) and National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH).
The massive cuts to the HPF, and the elimination of funding for NHAs, NEA, and NEH are very troubling, but Congress still controls the purse strings. Currently the HPF is funded under a CR running until March 23rd and preservation advocates have some reason to be optimistic. Last year’s FY18 Appropriations bills continued funding levels for the HPF and the recent budget deal included increases to top line budget numbers for non-defense programs.
Join us in Washington, DC! Preservation Action along with advocates from across the country will present our funding requests for the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) to Congress during National Historic Preservation Advocacy Week, March 12-14. We need your voice, Register Today!
Senators Bill Cassidy (R-LA), Brian Schatz (D-HI) and Jack Reed (D-RI) recently introduced the Explore America Act (S. 2395). This bill would support expanded cultural heritage opportunities by strengthening the Preserve America Grant Program. The legislation would make changes to the Preserve America program which supporters say will help to attract more visitors to cultural heritage sites and provide increased collaboration between local communities and the federal government.
“Cultural heritage tourism provides an authentic view into our nation’s past and allows the public to learn about and enjoy the various cultural histories of gateway communities across our nation,” said Senator Reed. “This effort will also stimulate local economies and create jobs in the tourism industry.”.
The Explore America Act would amend the Preserve America Grant Program to provide technical assistance in lieu of monetary funds, focus on economic growth, increase accountability, and prioritize community coordination.
There are more than 900 Preserve America communities across the country and while the program is authorized, it is not currently receiving funding. Learn more about this legislation.
A little-noticed provision tucked into the monumental tax reform act that Congress passed at the end of 2017 has the potential to deliver big benefits for historic preservation-but only if advocates act fast. The new law creates so-called Qualified Opportunity Zones (QOZs), which offer significant tax breaks to investors seeking to defer or abate their capital gains taxes on projects like investing in historic buildings. But the clock is ticking on a March 21 deadline for Governors to nominate neighborhoods in their states or territories for QOZ status.
Read more in this blog post by Preservation Action Board member, Andrew Potts about how the program works and how preservationists can advocate for historic areas in this new process.
Registration is now open for National Historic Preservation Advocacy Week 2018. Online registration ends March 9th!
Preservation Action along with the National Conference of Historic Preservation Officers (NCSHPO) is excited to host the 2018 National Historic Preservation Advocacy Week from March 12th-14th at the historic Hamilton Hotel in Washington, DC.
Advocacy Week registration includes in-depth training, policy briefings, meetings with elected officials and white papers from an array of preservation and policy professionals. Ticketed events offer additional meetings with elected officials, their staff, and a national network of preservation advocates.
We Need Your Voice
Advocacy Week is our annual opportunity to have a mass impact on opinion leaders and policy makers. Together with a cohesive message in support of preservation-positive legislation we can ensure a strong future for the federal historic preservation program.
Make Your Hotel Reservations Today
Take advantage of a special $279/night rate. To make your reservations call 866-407-1764 and use event code “NCSHPO Advocacy”. Special room rate expires Feb. 16th 2018.
Check out our Advocacy Week page for more information!
ACHP: “ACHP Announces Report to the President on Federal Historic Property Stewardship”
Virginia: “Report: Historic Building Revitalization Generates Billions in Economic Return”
New York: “Federal Historic Tax Credits Survive Reform; New York’s Program in Limbo”
Oregon: “Portland Historic Preservation Rules Get a Revamp”
Louisiana: “A Look at a Tax Credit that Saves Historic Buildings and Revitalizes Them”
Wisconsin: “Madison Preservationists Worried Bill Would Hurt Madison’s Historic Landmark Designation Power”
