We ask our New York preservation allies to continue voicing your support of the federal historic tax credit program, which supports rehabilitation of historic buildings across the state.

The recent U.S. House infrastructure legislation included provisions to improve the federal historic tax credit — which would improve its functionality here in New York! Read more.

The best way you can help right now in NYS is to call Senator's Schumer's office at 202.224.3121.

• Introduce your self as a constituent.

• Explain the importance of the federal historic tax credit in historic preservation and that it has not been meaningfully improved since the 1980s.

• Ask for the Senator’s support in protecting the Historic Tax Credit provisions in the House Reconciliation Infrastructure Bill. The current draft would benefit all HTC-eligible projects from Main Street to large-scale rehabilitation efforts across the country.

Phone calls Senator's office is the most effective advocacy at this time when the Congress is in ongoing negotiations. However, please feel free to also follow-up with any personal contacts you have in his office or send an electronic message.

As you may have heard, the recent U.S. House infrastructure legislation included provisions to improve the federal historic tax credit - improving its functionality here in New York!

Congressional leaders are currently negotiating with the Biden Administration over a $3.5 trillion package, which includes a number of community development incentives, to include historic tax credit improvements. The result of these negotiations is likely a drastic reduction in these earmarked funds - which insiders predict could be as low at $1.5 trillion.

Preservation advocates from across New York State have joined together to pen this letter of support for the federal historic tax credit provisions to Senate Majority Leader Schumer and Senator Gillibrand. However, there is still advocacy to be done.

WE NEED YOUR HELP TODAY TO STRESS THAT THESE PROVISIONS MUST REMAIN IN THE FINAL BILL

Specifically, here in New York - Senate Majority Leader Schumer and Senator Gillibrand need to hear from you on why you support these provisions.

Contact Senator Schumer's office via email or call the DC office at 202.224.6542.
Contact Senator Gillibrand's office via email or call the DC office at 202.224.4451.

What do I say to the members of their staff?

• Introduce yourself and let them know you'd like to voice your support for historic tax credit provisions (they may direct you to a more appropriate staff member).

• Thank the Senators for their support of the federal historic tax credit program over the years.

• Express how the provisions in the letter benefit you/your business, your community, and the State of New York.

  • Do you have/know of a preservation project that these provisions will emphasize?

  • Are you concerned with historic sites disappearing from the New York landscape/lack of incentives to preserve them?

  • Do you live in an economically challenged and/or rural part of New York that could benefit from these provisions?

Memorandum of Support: A.3241 (McDonald), S.6721 (Ryan) A.5337 (McDonald), S.5377 (Cooney)

The Preservation League of New York State is the statewide historic preservation nonprofit — leading advocacy, economic development and education programs across the state. We write in support of amending the real property actions and proceedings law with regard to the following Bills:

• A.3241 (McDonald)/S.6721 (Ryan) to expand the applicability of the receivership law to the entire state of New York for the purpose of remedying conditions dangerous to life, health or safety; and

• A.5337 (McDonald), S.5377 (Cooney) relating to special proceedings to convey title to abandoned real property to cities, towns or villages.

The aforementioned legislation aims to address real property issues, which will result in the ability to maintain safe and livable housing, stabilize neighborhoods, and contribute to the overall quality of life for residents across New York State. A.3241/S.6721 will deter building vacancy and demolition of unsafe properties, keeping more of our older residential buildings well-maintained and out of landfills. This tool will help address building code violations and situations when buildings have fallen into serious disrepair. It will be particularly helpful in cases where tenants voice complaints to landlords, yet issues remain unaddressed. Currently only available for the New York City region, this bill will add receivership as a statewide tool.

A.5337/S.5377 enables a municipality to take title of abandoned real property in cases where a zoning, housing, building or property maintenance code violation remains unremedied for a period of at least one year. This will limit unsafe structures from remaining a public threat and increase the ability for a property to be successfully returned to a habitable condition rather than incur demolition - which is both costly and not environmentally sustainable.

We applaud the NYS Senate’s passage of S.5377 and urge the NYS Assembly to pass its companion bill, A.5337. We also ask the NYS Assembly and Senate to adopt A.3241/S.6721. These bills will help efforts to remedy conditions dangerous to life/health/safety, limit the negative environmental impacts of demolition, and retain our built environment. Thank you to Assemblymember McDonald and Senators Ryan and Cooney for their leadership.

Click here for a PDF of this support letter.

The League is thrilled to share that Senator May and Assemblymember Buttenschon’s bills to ensure regular quarterly meetings of the Canal Recreationway Commission have passed the Senate and Assembly! Thank you to the Senator and Assemblymember, as well as the large bipartisan group of legislators who supported this bill. The Preservation League believes this new legislation will establish consistency and give the Commission the tools to focus on important future planning efforts to support our Canal System and chart a new path forward, supporting our National Historic Landmark Canal System’s ability to leverage the economic benefits of tourism, recreation, and commercial use now and into the future. We were proud to support it!

Memorandum of Support S.6042 (Hinchey)/A.6947 (Barrett)
Click here for a PDF of this letter.

The Preservation League of New York State is the statewide historic preservation nonprofit — leading advocacy, economic development and education programs across the state. We write in support of Bill S.6042 (Hinchey) and A.6947 (Barrett) to provide a tax credit for the rehabilitation of historic barns. In 2018 the existing New York State Historic Barn Rehabilitation Credit was negatively altered as a result of changes in federal tax code under the Federal Tax Cuts and Job Act of 2017. Today, we urge the Senate and Assembly to set right this obstacle to New York’s ability to retain our agricultural heritage and revive the functional incentive to return these buildings to productive use.

The 25% tax credit promotes barn rehabilitation, vital in retaining remaining historic barns in every corner of the state. Not only does it pay homage to New York’s agricultural history and architecture, it also provides opportunity for thoughtful reuse, community enjoyment, eliminating landscape decay, as well as circumvents the negative environmental impacts of demolition.

In particular, this incentive helps revitalize regions that have been hit hard over the last several decades with disinvestment and the continual shift farther away from agriculture. It will inspire a new era of entrepreneurs ranging from farmers to tourism and contribute to economic vitality in New York State. This will all be accomplished while keeping the historic appearance and architecture intact on the impressive structures within our landscape.

Since 2015, this program has contributed to the successful rehabilitation of nearly 50 barns across the state. Thanks to the 2017 federal tax code changes, a small number of barns currently qualify for this incentive and only a handful of those have received the credit in the past couple years.

The Preservation League receives more requests for financial assistance with barn restoration than any other building type. This much-needed legislation will fill a large gap. An annual program report delivered to the legislature would help demonstrate the program’s effectiveness for future advocacy, as well as identify areas for outreach strengthening. We strongly support this legislation and urge the NYS Legislature to pass it within this legislative session.

Memorandum of Support A.7044 (Buttenschon)/S.5958 (May)
Click here for a PDF of this letter.

The Preservation League of New York State is New York’s statewide historic preservation nonprofit. We write in support of Bills A.7044/S.5958 relating to the operations and preservation of the National Historic Landmark New York State Canal System.

As New York State’s only statewide historic preservation nonprofit organization, the Preservation League invests in people and projects that champion the essential role of preservation in community revitalization, sustainable economic growth and the protection of our historic buildings and landscapes. We lead advocacy, economic development and education programs across the state and partner with local preservation organizations throughout New York. In 2019, we listed the NYS Canal System as a statewide Seven to Save to highlight the need for New York State to prioritize stewardship of its National Historic Landmark canals as an intact, fully-navigable international waterway for present and future generations.

The New York State Canal System was designated a National Historic Landmark in 2016 due to its span, scope, authenticity and historic integrity. The Preservation League believes that the best future for our NYS Canal System lies in capitalizing on its past, marketing itself as a historic transportation corridor, improving amenities for canal users, and strengthening local, regional, and international partnerships to promote tourism, as well as recreational and commercial use.

We commend the New York Power Authority and New York State Canal Corporation for their ongoing restoration, maintenance, and stewardship of our National Historic Landmark canal system. This bill supports their work while providing important consistency for those who use the canal, whether for recreation, tourism, or commercial purposes.

We support the bill’s goal to establish a consistent operating schedule that provides users the opportunity to navigate through the autumn tourism season, as well as reinforcing the ability of commercial boat operators to use canal facilities as prescribed under New York State’s Codes, Rules and Regulations, and continued use of the canal system’s National Historic Landmark locks, moveable dams, and other engineering structures.

Our impressive New York State Canal System has national and global significance thanks to its authenticity as a continuously operating end-to-end canal system. The vibrancy of our canals brings billions of dollars each year to our state and communities along the canal corridor.

As we celebrate the canal’s 200th birthday, this legislation will support and enhance the canal system’s ability to leverage the economic benefits of tourism, recreation, and commercial use now and into the future.

Memorandum of Support A.7045 (Buttenschon)/S.5959 (May)
Click here for a PDF of this letter.

The Preservation League of New York State is New York’s statewide historic preservation nonprofit. We write in support of Bills A.7045/S.5959 relating to the meetings of the Canal Recreationway Commission.

As New York State’s only statewide historic preservation nonprofit organization, the Preservation League invests in people and projects that champion the essential role of preservation in community revitalization, sustainable economic growth and the protection of our historic buildings and landscapes. We lead advocacy, economic development and education programs across the state and partner with local preservation organizations throughout New York. In 2019, we listed the NYS Canal System as a statewide Seven to Save to highlight the need for New York State to prioritize stewardship of its National Historic Landmark canals as an intact, fully-navigable international waterway for present and future generations.

The Canal Recreationway Commission was founded in 1992 upon the creation of the New York State Canal Corporation. Its members include individuals involved in canal use, development, preservation, enhancement, and local governments from counties adjacent to or intersected by the Canal System. Following its creation, the Commission prepared and adopted the Canal Recreationway Plan in 1995. This plan focused on four primary elements: Canal Harbors, Canal Service Port and Lock Projects, the Canalway Trail, and a Canal System Marketing Plan.

Successful completion of the 1995 Canal Recreationway Plan, which laid the groundwork for our recently completed and hugely successful Empire State Trail, while celebrating the canal system as an operating waterway, provided a roadmap for the Canal System to transform from a predominantly commercial waterway to the vibrant, popular, scenic, economically viable, multifaceted resource we know today. The Canal Harbors and Service Ports created as a result of the 1995 plan created economic activity throughout the corridor, particularly in the cities of Schenectady, Syracuse, Rochester, and Buffalo.

We believe the three fundamental goals of the Canal Recreationway Commission, preserving the best of the past, enhancing recreational opportunities, fostering appropriate and sustainable economic development, mirror those of the Reimagine the Canals effort and support the work of the NYS Canal Corporation today.

The Canal Recreationway Commission currently meets subject to the call of the chairperson. By setting a regular quarterly meeting schedule, this bill will establish consistency and give the Commission the tools to focus on important future planning efforts to support our Canal System and chart a new path forward, supporting our National Historic Landmark Canal System’s ability to leverage the economic benefits of tourism, recreation, and commercial use now and into the future.

Ask your NY Representatives to sign the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) FY22 Dear Colleague Letter

Don’t let historic preservation get left behind in this year’s appropriations process to determine Fiscal Year 2022 funding levels! Please contact your New York Congressional Representatives today to request they sign-on to the FY22 HPF Dear Colleague Letter requesting $150 million in funding for the HPF.

Find your New York Representatives and contact them ASAP! The deadline for signatures is April 28.

Thank you to the NY Congressional Reps who have signed (as of 4/22), including Representatives: Thomas Suozzi, Kathleen Rice, Antonio Delgado, Brian Higgins, Joseph Morelle, Jerrold Nadler, Paul Tonko, Nydia Velázquez, Hakeem Jeffries, and Mondaire Jones!

This bi-partisan effort is led by the co-chairs of the Historic Preservation Caucus, Rep. Earl Blumenauer (D-OR) and Rep. Michael Turner (R-OH). If your Representative is not a member of the Preservation Caucus, please also ask that they consider contacting Representative Turner or Blumenauer’s staff for more information and to join.

Preservation advocates nationwide made this a priority at the 2021 National Preservation Advocacy Week in DC and now its your turn to show your support! The request includes:

• $60 million for State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPOs)

• $24 million for Tribal Historic Preservation Offices (THPOs)

• $20 million for the Save America’s Treasures grant program

• $10 million for competitive grants for Historically Black Colleges and Universities

• $9 million for the Paul Bruhn Historic Revitalization grants

• $1 million for a competitive grant program to survey and document historic resources

• $19 million for African American Civil Rights Initiative Competitive Grants

• $7 million for the newly established competitive grants programs to preserve the sites and stories associated with securing civil rights for All Americans

• Support for funding the Semiquincentennial grant program to preserve historical sites commemorating the 250th Anniversary of the United States of America…a commemoration that we at the League are already looking forward to!

If you haven’t already done so, please ask your NY Representatives to sign on as a co-sponsor of the new version of the HTC-GO legislation (H.R. 2294).

Contact your Representatives today to let them know these are incentives that are important to you, your organization, business, or community. Learn more about this legislation and tips on crafting your ask.

A big thank you to our New York regional preservation colleague organizations for signing our support letter for H.R. 2294, and promoting historic preservation as part of the solution to aid in nationwide post-pandemic economic recovery!

On April 6, 2021, Governor Cuomo and the NYS Legislature reached their final budget agreements. We are incredibly grateful to the legislature and governor for their commitment to historic preservation, reflected in multiple budget initiatives. Please join us in thanking the Governor, NYS Assembly, and NYS Senate for their support. And thank YOU to all who called and wrote your legislators and the governor's office to express your support for historic preservation!

NYS Historic Tax Credit Small Project Access Improvement

Thank you to the Legislature and Governor for increasing the NYS Historic Tax Credit for small projects. This improvement will help small business and Main Street building owners rehabilitate their historic buildings, while ensuring that the NYS Historic Tax Credit serves as an incentive throughout our upstate urban centers, by increasing the NYS Historic Tax Credit from 20% to 30% for small projects under $2.5 million.

We were proud to support the Assembly and Senate bills that laid the groundwork for budget passage, A.3670 (Woerner) and S.4439 (Kennedy). Last year in NYS a job was created for every $12,000 of Historic Tax Credit investment. As part of economic recovery, improving program access to small projects will create community revitalization, sustainable economic growth, and the protection of historic buildings and landscapes.

A big thank you to our legislative supporters, who have championed this initiative for over two years. In the Assembly, those supporters include prime sponsor Assemblywoman Carrie Woerner and bill co-sponsors Assemblymembers Steve Englebright, John McDonald, Sarah Clark, Michael Durso, William Magnarelli, Donna Lupardo, Patricia Fahy, Steven Otis, Pamela Hunter, Robert Smullen, and Karl Brabenec. In the Senate, our supporters include prime sponsor Senator Timothy Kennedy and bill co-sponsors Senators José Serrano, Elijah Reichlin-Melnick, Anna Kaplan, Samra Brouk, Michelle Hinchey, Neil Breslin, Mike Martucci, and George Borrello.

Protecting the NYS Canal System

Thank you to the NYS Legislature and Governor Cuomo for coming together to protect our National Historic Landmark NYS Canal System. We appreciate their intentional omission of the Governor's 30-day amendment that would have disbanded the Canal Recreationway Commission while creating a duplicative new public benefit corporation and increasing the NY Power Authority's bonding ability.

With these proposed substantive changes to our National Historic Landmark NYS Canal System off the table for now, we look forward to engaging in open discussion about the future of our historic Erie, Champlain, Oswego, and Cayuga/Seneca Canals.

Stopping Urban Renewal at Penn Station

The NYS Assembly and Senate have negotiated with the Governor's office to rein in the proposed "Empire Station" complex surrounding Penn Station. As proposed by Governor Cuomo, this project would have leveled multiple blocks surrounding Penn Station. These blocks are currently home to countless small businesses, the last remaining McKim Mead and White building associated as part of the original Penn Station, an 1872 church and convent, and the many small mixed-use buildings that form the fabric of New York City.

The final Capital Projects Appropriations bill does not allow the appropriated $1.3 billion to be spent on any above-ground development, but only in "furtherance of the Empire Penn Expansion or other transportation improvement projects."

Thank you all for supporting historic preservation and the Preservation League. Please consider contacting your state legislator and the governor's office to share your appreciation for their leadership in recognizing the importance of preservation in New York State's economic recovery.

Join us in reminding our New York Congressional Representatives that historic preservation can provide opportunities to aid in nationwide economic recovery as we look towards our post-COVID-19 future.

Urge your Representative to Cosponsor HTC-GO. Thank you to NY Representative Brian Higgins for leading the way on this important legislation!

What’s in the New Version of the HTC-GO Legislation?

Temporary Provisions

The HTC-GO legislation (H.R. 2294) temporarily increases the rehabilitation credit (IRC § 47) to address projects impacted by the pandemic.

• This provision increases the HTC percentage from 20% to 30% for 2020 through 2024.

• The credit percentage is phased down to 26% in 2025, 23% in 2026, and returns to 20% in 2027 and thereafter.

Justification: Developers and building owners are experiencing challenges in rehabbing historic buildings. The financial markets have slowed, making it difficult for projects to access capital and stalling complex historic real estate developments. The increased volatility in the market and project risk is forcing banking institutions to decrease their loan frequency and the overall amount while tightening underwriting requirements. Increases in material and construction costs and an uncertain tenant market have further impacted potential developments. As a result, many projects have stalled or are no longer feasible.

Permanent Provisions

• Increases the credit from 20% to 30% for projects with less than $2.5 million in qualified rehabilitation expenses, making it easier to complete small rehabilitation projects.

• Lowers the substantial rehabilitation threshold, making more buildings eligible to use the HTC.

• Eliminates the requirement that the value of the HTC must be deducted from a building’s basis (property’s value for tax purposes), increasing the value of the HTC and making it easier to pair with the federal Low-Income Housing Tax Credit.

• Makes the HTC easier to use by nonprofits for community health centers, local arts centers, affordable housing, homeless services, and others by eliminating IRS restrictions that make it challenging to partner with developers.

Justification: The above provisions would make important changes to the HTC to encourage more building reuse and redevelopment nationwide and would particularly benefit small, midsize, and rural communities. These provisions would not only make the credit easier to use and more historic properties eligible, but it would also enhance the value of the HTC and make the credit easier to use to create affordable housing.

Contact your reps today to let them know these are incentives that are important to you, your organization or business, and community. The National Trust for Historic Preservation (NTHP), The National Trust Community Investment Corporation (NTCIC), and the Historic Tax Credit Coalition (HTCC) are pushing hard for these inclusions, with support from the Preservation League of NYS in New York, but your representatives need to hear from their constituents!

• Visit the websites of your NY House Representatives and Senators

  • Send a message to your Representative through their website and select “tax” or “taxation” as the issue area.

  • Or call (during office hours) the office of your House Member. Introduce yourself as a constituent and ask for the email address of tax staff.

• Draft your message using the following talking points:

  • Historic Tax Credit projects will help revitalize our communities and support our nation’s economic recovery. Many projects continue to experience profound challenges on-site and in the financing realm, due to the pandemic.

  • Now is the time to strengthen this proven incentive to address the slowdown in rehabilitation projects across the country, particularly smaller projects in our main street communities and downtowns.

  • Would the Representative please cosponsor the Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act, sponsored by Rep. Blumenauer and Rep. LaHood?

  • These provisions were included and passed in the House Infrastructure bill (H.R. 2) in July 2020. Please look for opportunities to include these provisions in future infrastructure legislation.

  • Note any examples you may have that describe obstacles that local HTC projects have faced during the pandemic, such as delays, extra costs incurred onsite, and project financing difficulties and describe how projects would benefit from a temporary provision that increases the HTC from 20% to 30% (like leveraging more investor equity etc.) and explain how the permanent HTC provisions in the House-passed infrastructure bill would help projects and contribute to the economic recovery.

You may wish to share the HTC Fact Sheet and related legislation with Congressional Offices and review the project lists in your region.

For further assistance with your advocacy, contact: NTHP, NTCIC, HTCC, or PLNYS:

• Mike Phillips, mphillips@ntcic.com

• Shaw Sprague, ssprague@savingplaces.org

• Patrick Robertson, probertson@confluencegr.com

• Erin Tobin, etobin@preservenys.org

• Christina Hingle, chingle@preservenys.org

Looking for a recap on how we got here? Catch up with the recording of the January 26 New York federal advocacy webinar.

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