Support Historic Preservation

Enhance the Federal Historic Tax Credit. Let's Preserve More & Preserve Better.

As Congress prepares for the 2024 elections and a major tax policy overhaul in 2025, the urgency to address expiring tax provisions from the 2017 Tax Cuts and Jobs Act increases. Despite delays, the upcoming legislative session will be crucial for major tax decisions affecting individuals and corporations.

The Historic Tax Credit (HTC) is vital for revitalizing historic properties and preserving our heritage. However, its use has declined by over 20 percent compared to pre-pandemic levels. It’s crucial to emphasize the HTC’s positive impact on communities and push for improvements.

Support the Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act (H.R. 1785 / S.639) to enhance the HTC, ensuring its effectiveness and reversing the decline in use. Strengthening the HTC will promote economic growth and preserve historic landmarks for future generations. Join us in advocating for this vital legislation to secure the future of historic preservation in America.

We need you to contact your Senators to support the Historic Tax Credit enhancement provisions included in the infrastructure legislation. Click below to send an automated email to your Senator and help us preserve more and preserve better!

Help us bring 5 more tools to HTC projects nationwide:
More Credits
More Value
More Buildings
More Nonprofit Uses
More Simplicity

about the provisions

Increase the credit from 20-30% for all projects for at least 5 years +

All projects (placed in service after April 1, 2021) would receive a temporary increase to the credit to 30% through 2025. The credit would phase down to 26% in 2026, 23% in 2027, and return to 20% in 2028. This will help address unforeseen financing gaps and contribute to the economic recovery by invigorating many new historic rehabilitation projects, both big and small.

Elimination of the basis adjustment +

All projects would benefit from eliminating the requirement to subtract the amount of the HTC from a building’s basis for depreciation purposes. This provision would bring more value to the HTC and would make it easier to pair with other community development incentives like affordable housing and opportunity zone investments.

Sustain the 30% credit amount for small projects +

This provision would permanently extend the increase from 20% to 30% beyond 2025 for small projects (less than $2.5 million) to ensure smaller investments such as those common in rural and non-urban areas have a better ability to take advantage of the credit.

Modification of substantial rehabilitation definition +

This provision lowers the substantial rehabilitation threshold for all projects from 100% to 50% of a building’s basis. Reducing this eligibility threshold will make more buildings eligible for rehabilitation before they have deteriorated too significantly. This change will also allow historic building owners to more easily adapt projects to new uses in a changing economic landscape.

Modifications of tax-exempt use leasing rules +

This change would allow nonprofits and other tax-exempt entities to more easily rehabilitate their own historic properties. These changes would make more projects led by health care centers, arts organizations, community services, affordable housing organizations, and workforce training providers possible.

HTC advocacy on Capitol Hill

How you can help:

Call Members of Congress and ask them to enhance the HTC. Click here to search for your Representative’s contact information.

Use the National Trust for Historic Preservation email tool to advocate for the enhancement.

Tell your friends, neighbors, and associates to do the same.

Share the video above on social media and spread the word!

what to say in your outreach

Here are some key talking points when advocating for HTC enhancements with your Representatives:
  • The federal HTC is a critical community development tool for rehabilitating historic buildings, and it is often “twinned” with affordable housing tax credits and New Markets Tax Credits.
  • About half of HTC projects each year are less than $1 million, and these projects are abundant in small towns and rural communities.
  • The Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act (HTC-GO H.R. 1785/S. 639) would bring more value to the credit, make more historic buildings eligible to use the HTC, further incentivize smaller projects and nonprofit projects, and make the credit easier to use.
  • The HTC has not been positively modernized since 1986. Given that other federal investment tax credits have recently been significantly enhanced, it is important to improve this incentive.
  • Ask: Please support improving the HTC by cosponsoring HTC-GO (H.R. 1785/S. 639) and including these provisions in moving tax legislation.
  • Historic Tax Credits have lost value over the past 10 years due to IRS revenue procedures and guidance and the impact of spreading the delivery of Historic Tax Credits over 5 years starting in 2018.
  • Pricing of the credits has dropped 20 – 25% over the last 10 years.
  • Skyrocketing costs of materials, labor, and rising interest rates have continued the financing challenges with these projects.
  • Even as the economy recovers post-COVID, the number of projects utilizing the HTC continue to decline from 2021 – 2023, compared to 2019. 
  • These changes to the HTC will help preserve the history of our state and help revitalize our larger cities and our smaller main street communities.
  • News
  • Public Policy
  • Historic Tax Credit
What’s Proposed in the Infrastructure Legislation?

Congress has the opportunity to make the biggest improvements and enhancements to the Historic Tax Credit (HTC) in a generation.

Read More
  • News
  • Public Policy
  • Historic Tax Credit
House Passes “Build Back Better” Without HTC Provisions, Contact Your Senators!

Last week, the House passed a $1.75 trillion version of the “Build Back Better” (BBB) reconciliation bill on a vote of 220 to 213. The bill did not include Historic Tax Credit (HTC) enhancements.

Read More
Public Policy
Stay Up to Date on NTCIC's Public Policy Efforts

NTCIC's Public Policy team is actively working to ensure the Historic Tax Credit remains the country's strongest resource for historic preservation. Learn More

Support Advocacy Efforts to Enhance the Historic Tax Credit

Your advocacy is needed to ensure that enhancements to the HTC remain top of mind for decision-makers. Learn More

Historic Tax Credit Advocacy Resources

Equip yourself with the knowledge and resources for historic preservation advocacy. Learn More

""In a time of austere federal budgets, we need to look at meaningful ways of getting the most out of every dollar and the economic impacts of historic tax credits have been transformational.""
Senator Ben Cardin (D-MD)
"Our tax credits have made the preservation of our older buildings not only a matter of respect for beauty and history, but of economic good sense."
President Ronald Reagan in 1984