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Members of Congress are generally in their home districts in October, so now is a great time to contact your Representative to invite them to tour a local Historic Tax Credit project! Visits to rehabilitated historic buildings – or projects in progress – are great opportunities for you to educate legislators about the benefits of historic preservation in your community. cc: Preservation Action National Trust for Historic Preservation
Yesterday the National Park Service Technical Preservation Services division issued the Annual Report on the Economic Impact of the Federal Historic Tax Credits for FY 2021. This document highlights the economic analysis completed by Rutgers University, Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning & Public Policy.
In 2021 federal historic preservation tax incentives generated $7.7 billion in GDP & 135,000 jobs. To date, the program has generated $213.8 billion in GDP, since 1978.
“Private investments in historic preservation are helping to revive abandoned or underutilized buildings into affordable housing, offices, creative spaces, community athletic centers, and more,” said NPS Director Chuck Sams “These projects promote community revitalization in our nation’s cities and towns, along main streets, and in rural areas, boosting the economy and creating thousands of jobs.”
The NPS highlights State Historic Preservation Offices in their role as the first point of contact for property owners on taking advantage of this program. Thank you to the SHPO staff in all 59 offices who work with NPS staff to help administer this important inventive to historic preservation efforts!
https://www.nps.gov/orgs/1207/htc-2022.htm
Preservation Action
National Trust Community Investment Corporation
National Trust for Historic Preservation
Our thanks to Representative Derek Kilmer and Tacoma Historic Preservation for a great site visit at Old City Hall! Washington Trust Executive Director Chris Moore joined for the visit.
We highlighted Old City Hall as one of the Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit projects in Rep. Kilmer's congressional district for Preservation Action's National Historic Preservation Advocacy Week earlier this year. It's always great to have our legislators out there in person to see the difference that funding makes!
A Family Story!!!
By John Burl Smith author of “The 400th From Slavery to Hip Hop!”
I’m looking forward to October in Memphis for the 27th Annual Stone Awards, the Premiere of the documentary “The Picture Taker” Producer/Director Phil Bertelsen, Vann R. Newkirk editor The Atlantic host of the podcast Floodlines and WeAllBe Jimmie Lunceford Week. I’m excited about helping celebrate community-based projects with Cam Mtenzi, Bro. Jon Herd, journalist Wiley Henry, Leila Hamdan and Tim Sampson at STAX, all the while hanging out with my man and partner Vincent Taylor. However, before this 4-week hiatus, I wanted to lay these thoughts on the world. While listening to “How Deep is your Love” a cover of the Bee Gees (2009) hit by “Infinity Song.” The tune reminded us of our fight to pass the 26th Amendment, which extended the vote to 18-year-olds. Progressives felt if the nation was “asking teens to fight and die in Viet Nam, they deserved the right to vote!” The reward from that fight came almost 40 years later, with the election of Barack H. Obama (2008).
America was rewarded again in 2020 when 18-year-old voters helped elect Pres. Joe Biden. With democracy hanging in the balance on November 8th midterm elections, 18-year-old voters can bring victory for democracy in America. But however, as my 102-year-old mother would say, somebody needs to sn**ch the Democrats into the present, before they blow it all, campaigning to “yesterday same old way voters.” The DMC refuses to direct its campaign to address issues important to young voters. Young voter’s top issues are control of their body, access to affordable education, health care, flexible employment with family leave and access to the ballot box. Looking at what Kevin McCarty and Republicans’ will do if they take control of the US House of Representatives, a vote for Republicans is a vote to destroy democracy and roll back everything to the 1960s. “How Deep is Your Love” is a look back but not through Republican eyes, which see Donald Trump as “King” of the United States.
Considering the events of the last 2 years, coupled with the Republicans’ election agenda for 2022, and what they promise to do if they take control of the Senate, and the House is a frightening prospect for democracy. Led by Donald Trump and his hoard of election deniers, many of whom storm the US Capitol, shouting “Hang Mike Pence,” in their attempted coup at the urging of a rogue president and his “proud boys,” democracy will be on the gallows built for Pence! Republicans represent a grave threat to democracy, putting Americans freedoms in serious jeopardy. Trump and his MAGA mob’s threats are hanging over America, like the “Sword of Damocles.” So, I ask “How Deep is your Love” regarding where your loyalties reside.
The spotlight is on older Americans, especially white men, because they are trying to maintain the power balance white men established at America’s founding. White men fear losing their dominant role, following the 2020 Presidential election, as a result of young voters, who flocked to the polls to elect Joe Biden. Young voters cut short the presumptive reign of Donald Trump, who saw himself as a dictator, like his buddy Vladimir Putin. However, looking at the world Trump and the Supreme Court have forced upon America, through the eyes of my 18-year-old granddaughter, who graduated in May, but in a month, her world went from bright promises to a confusing nightmare created by Dobbs. Toi, an excellent High school student, is a freshman at Georgia State University, and like other women, she now faces a world a woman have not contemplated, let alone faced in over 50 years. How can she build a career, develop relationships and navigate life with such mounting uncertainty, now as the state becomes the arbiter of her most important choices. For her and other women, democracy has become a hollow shell, as it did for millions of slavery’s descendants in 1897, as they went from free to being a new kind of slave without chains, after Plessy v Ferguson. A Supreme Court decision justified the created of segregation and white supremacy, while locking the courthouse door to former slaves. The court’s action prevented newly freed slaves from challenging what had been done to them by the court.
Facing such dire consequences for women, “How Deep is your Love” for democracy is a question that puts 18-year-olds on the frontline in this fight. Although Toi is just beginning her career, she begins without choices that allowed previous generations of women to choose their life’s direction. Without choice she is limited, in ways white men can never be, like Plessy v Ferguson (1897), in her ability to determine her life and career paths. Dobbs makes motherhood a threat, which forces women out of the workforce and limits their ability to compete, as a constant threat, rather than a choice!!!
Joan Baez sings a vintage tune, “Civil War,” an allegorical truth for today, while casting a dark shadow over the “American dream.” Americans sing and pray in church but leave their prayers behind as they exist on Sunday morning. For an hour or so, God reigns supreme, but behind closed doors racism is the scheme. These Christians claim to love all human beings, but money and power dominate their dreams. They see color before the person there in, and freedom of choice continues “Blowing in the Wind!” While claiming to love America, they plot to steal her glory, with a r**e of a different kind, leaving “lady liberty” bleeding to death in a back-alley butcher shop! But all is said to be in God’s name, but the poor child is given blame. The ra**st is a father, brother or close family friend that happened to drop in on a helpless child that cannot defend. The life of a helpless child is blown away, like a leaf in the wind. Baez’s echo from that dark valley, “The President sang Amazing Grace!” Republicans have no love and will never be content, unless democracy lovers relent. Choice is what 18-year-olds represent and it is the hopes, upon which freedom is pent. “Civil War” is offered rather than trusting in democracy, by those who cannot win with the vote! Infinity Song’s “How Deep is Your Love” is a prayer for democracy throng!!!
We look forward to welcoming everyone back to Washington, DC March 13-16, 2023 for a week of advocacy in support of historic preservation efforts!
Join NCSHPO and Preservation Action for 2023 National Preservation Advocacy Week - it will be a week to remember with: informative programming, congressional meetings, networking opportunities, meetings, and tours!
Save the Date! Registration coming in December.
https://preservationaction.org/advocacyweek/
Goucher’s M.A.H.P. 2018 Distinguished Alumna, Aimee Jorjani ’12, hosted Goucher M.A.H.P. student Liz Cohan and recent graduate Zach Burt ’22 at the Preservation Roundtable on Capitol Hill this June.
The Roundtable is a gathering of Washington, DC area preservation professionals and is hosted by the staff of the nonprofit Preservation Action Foundation and the National Preservation Institute (NPI).