Preservation Maryland has joined with advocates from across the country to call on Congress to include preservation priorities in the next coronavirus health, recovery, and stimulus legislation.
In a letter co-signed by preservation organizations from across the country, the National Trust for Historic Preservation urges Congressional leadership to include support for preservation incentives and programs as they continue to respond aggressively to the national health emergency.
Recommendations in the letter outline policy changes and increased investments in programs to catalyze the economic recovery of non-profit organizations, small businesses, and the arts and culture sector, while also protecting historic and cultural resources.
The following recommendations will be particularly important to see happen:
Passage of the Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act (HTC-GO) to encourage more building reuse and further incentivize redevelopment in all communities. Also proposed is a temporary increase in the credit percentage for all HTC projects and other provisions designed to keep current rehabilitation projects on track.
Supplemental funding of $420 million for the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) including a proposal of $120 million outlined by the National Conference of State Historic Preservation Officers and the National Association of Tribal Historic Preservation Officers for bricks-and-mortar, survey, digitization, mapping, planning, and new technology tools.
Passage of the Great American Outdoors Act, historic bi-partisan legislation, co-sponsored by 58 Senators and supported by the Advisory Council on Historic Preservation, that would provide up to $9.5 billion in funding over five years for much-needed repairs at National Park Service sites and would also fund the Land and Water Conservation Fund at $900 million annually.
If enacted, this legislation would be the single largest federal investment in the preservation of historic and cultural resources for public lands in a generation.
All Marylanders are encouraged to add your voice to urge Congress to include preservation programs in the next coronavirus recovery and stimulus legislation.
Preservation Maryland has prepared a letter that can be customized specifically for constituents to contact their Maryland legislators in support of including historic preservation in future recovery and stimulus legislation.
– from The Phoenix-A Newsletter from Preservation Maryland newsletter