Talking to your Legislator? Share our Brief on the Tax Credit Re-authorization! Preservation Pennsylvania's Economic Study on the Impact and Potential of the Pennsylvania State Historic Tax Credit
Call to ActionPreservation Pennsylvania needs your support as we work to preserve and expand the Pennsylvania Historic Preservation Tax Credit. This important preservation tool will sunset in June 2020 unless it is reauthorized. >>Now is the time to reach out to your Senators and Representatives and let them know how important a re-authorized and expanded PA Historic Preservation Tax Credit is to your work. ( Click here to find your Harrisburg representatives.) >>Share stories of your projects and let them know the economic return of these projects more than returns the credits allocated to the projects. Share the Economic Study or the Executive Summary.
If your work involves the Historic Preservation Tax Credit, now is the time to reach out to the Leadership of the both the Senate and the House with letters of support for the reauthorization and expansion of the PA HPTC (SB 541 and HB 1173). Please share stories of your projects and the importance of a strong state tax credit. If you can meet in person either in Harrisburg or in-district anytime over the next few weeks, you can download and print or share via email the Economic Study or the Executive Summary. https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/member_information/Senate/officers.cfm Link to House Leadership: https://www.legis.state.pa.us/cfdocs/legis/home/member_information/house/officers.cfm Talking PointsReach out to your Senators and Representatives with your own place-making historic preservation tax credit stories, or use aspects of the new study that resonate with you. For example: - The HPTC pays for itself. As noted in Preservation Pennsylvania’s study “The PA-HPTC program has awarded $15.0 million in credits, which has supported projects with a total projected value of more than $700 million.”
- The HPTC works in small towns as well as it works in big metropolitan centers. Old buildings that help define local character are transformed into thriving community places -- while creating jobs and local investment.
- The HPTC creates jobs and generates positive investment. As noted in Preservation Pennsylvania’s study “A $1,000,000 investment in a historic rehabilitation project generates 6.4 direct jobs and 5.6 indirect/induced jobs in Pennsylvania.” The study also found “If the cap on the Pennsylvania Historic Preservation Tax Credit were increased to $50 million per year, it is anticipated an additional 2,800 jobs and $160 million in labor income would be generated.
KEY CHANGES
- Annual Allocation of $30 million
- Increased per project cap to $2.5 million
- Additional 5% credit for workforce housing
- Clarification that the credit can be used in one year (compared to 5 years for federal)
- Standardization of timing for application, review and allocation
Since the tax credit was established in 2012, it has facilitated the rehabilitation and reuse of properties all across the state, creating jobs and revitalizing communities.
LATEST UPDATE: June 3, 2019 SB 541 received second consideration in the Senate and was referred to the Appropriations Committee. May 15, 2019 Preservation Pennsylvania released “The Missing Key, A Study of the Impact and Potential of the PA HPTC” at a press conference with Senator Argall and Representative Freeman. Click for full study or Executive Summary. May 8, 2019, the Senate Finance Committee voted SB 541 out of committee and it is now in the Senate for first consideration. Reach out to your Senators and tell them how important the re-authorization and expansion of the Pennsylvania Historic Preservation Tax Credit is to your work. Need to check who your representatives in Harrisburg are? Click here.
Your support is needed to help fund completion of the PA State Tax Credit
Economic Study. Help us match a Keystone Historic Preservation Grant
from the PA SHPO. Your financial support is needed to help move this
effort forward and ensure that Pennsylvania’s historic tax credit not
only stays in place but is even stronger.
Successful passage of this legislation will require a sustained
advocacy and outreach effort. As the statewide voice for historic
preservation, Preservation Pennsylvania will devote significant staff
time to building a coalition, preparing educational materials, making
presentations, speaking to legislators and groups across the state and
ensuring that this important program is retained and expanded. The following individuals and organizations recognize the value of a
robust state historic preservation tax credit and support efforts to
expand and reauthorize this valuable tool for preservation and economic
revitalization. If you'd like to sign your name as part of our Pennsylvania Historic Preservation Tax Credit Coalition, click here. 10,000 Friends AIA Pennsylvania Charles Balducci Suzanna Barucco, Principal, sbk + partners, LLC, historic preservation consulting Maria Foss Cindy Hamilton Hogestown Heritage Committee Vern McKissick MM Partners, llc real estate development Bobbie Jean Owens Pennsylvania Downtown Center Sandy Rosenberg, Post Commercial Real Estate A. Roy Smith Paul Steinke, Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelplhia Jeremy Young, Community & Economic Development Manager Becky Zeller
LEARN MORE
Learn more about the State Historic Preservation Tax Credit with the resources listed below.
The Pennsylvania Historic Preservation Tax Credit is good for Pennsylvania, good for its valuable historic resources, and good for the economy, generating jobs, new housing, and tax revenue.
WHAT'S BEEN HAPPENING
Check back for updates!
JUNE 3 2019
| | SB 541 received second consideration by the Senate and was referred to the Appropriations Committee. HB 1173 is in the House Finance Committee. | MAY 15 2019
| | Preservation Pennsylvania released “The Missing Key, A Study of the Impact and Potential of the PA HPTC” at a press conference with Senator Argall and Representative Freeman. Click for full study or Executive Summary.
| APR 9 2019
| | Senator David Argall (R-Schuylkill/Berks) and Senator Judith Schwank (D-Berks) introduced legislation for the re-authorization and expansion of the PA HPTC (SB 541) in the Senate. Representative Robert Freeman (D-Northampton) and Representative R. Lee James (R-Butler/Venago) introduced a companion bill (HB 1173) in the House. |
FEB 8 2019
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Representative R. Lee James, Representative Jared G. Solomon, Representative Aaron Bernstine, Representative Stephen Barrar, Representative Michael H. Schlossberg, Representative Stephen Kinsey, Representative Steve Samuelson, Representative David R. Millard, Representative Chris Sainato, Representative Thomas P. Murt, Representative Carol Hill-Evans, Representative Greg Vitali, and Representative Patrick J. Harkins have all signed on as co-sponsors in support of the house HPTC.
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JAN 30 2019
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JAN 11 2019
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Thanks to those of you who have already reached out, these senators have signed on to co-sponsor: Blake, Schwank, Martin, Farnese, Kearney, Killion, Costa, Ward, and Yudichak.
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OCT 2018
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Working with recommendations from developers, historic preservation professionals, and other statewide nonprofits working in the field of economic development, Senator Argall’s staff drafted legislation to reauthorize, expand, and improve the credit. Senator David Argall introduced SB 1279 in October 2018.
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| 2018 |
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Preservation Pennsylvania engaged Donovan Rypkema of PlaceEconomics to undertake a study of the economic benefits of state tax credits, comparing Pennsylvania’s program to other states. Early findings show that with strong tax credit programs, states have more projects and increased investment.
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APRIL 2018
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Senator David Argall (R-Schuylkill/Berks) hosted a workshop in April 2018 to hear from Preservation Pennsylvania, PHMC, DCED, and other state agencies on the value of the state historic preservation tax credit and ways to improve it. You can view the proceedings and review the documentation here.
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Mindy Crawford, Executive Director of Preservation Pennsylvania, at Senator Argall's April workshop on the state historic preservation tax credit.
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