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 | Want $150 Million per year for Preservation?
We need your help to voice your support for the Historic Preservation Fund today! The House of Representatives is expected to vote on the CLEAR Act, a bill to address offshore oil and gas reforms following the oil well blow-out in the Gulf of Mexico which contains a provision to fully fund the Historic Preservation Fund (HPF) at $150 million!
Contact your Representative and ask him/her to support the full-funding for the HPF provision by voting yes for CLEAR Act (H.R. 3534).
Not since its inception in 1976 has the HPF received full funding to carry out the provisions of the National Historic Preservation Act. In fact since 2001, appropriations have declined from $94 million to less than $80 million.
The HPF is funded by receipts from federal offshore oil and gas subject to annual federal appropriations by Congress. The CLEAR Act will fully fund the HPF and not subject the HPF to the appropriations process in Congress, allowing the Secretary of Interior to use these funds without further federal action. Imagine the great work the preservation movement could accomplish with full funding of $150 million each year!
There has not been an active bill before Congress in a DECADE to address full funding for HPF, so we urgently need you to take action right now. Do not delay because the vote is expected before the end of the week. You make all the difference!
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 | National Trust for Historic Preservation
1785 Massachusetts Avenue, NW
Washington, DC 20036
202-588-6000 / 800-315-6847
http://www.preservationnation.org/
For Updates:
http://www.preservationnation.org/resources/newsletters/public-policy-weekly-bulletin/Public-Policy-Weekly-Bulletin-2-1-1-2-1-1-1.html
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KSHS To Hold Heritage Trust Fund (HTF) Grant Workshop Aug 4 Workshop on HTF Grants will be held 10 a.m. – 3 p.m. Wednesday, August 4th at the Kansas Historical Society, 6425 SW 6th Avenue in Topeka.
This free workshop includes information on the HTF grant application process and grant administration procedures. Workshop attendance is not mandatory to apply for the 2011 round of
HTF grants, but it is highly recommended. Advance registration is requested. Contact Cindi at 785-272-8681, ext. 245, for more information or to register.
The Heritage Trust Fund grant program funds projects for properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places or the Register of Historic Kansas Places. Qualifying expenses include professional fees and construction costs. Properties owned by the state or federal governments are not eligible. Individual grant awards may not exceed $90,000 and must be matched by the grant recipient. The deadline for the 2011 round of HTF grant applications is November 1, 2010. For more information on HTF grants or to apply, visit www.kshs.org/resource/htfinfo
The Kansas Historical Society does not discriminate on the basis of disability in admission to, access to, or operation of its programs. The Historical Society requests prior notification to accommodate individuals with special needs or disabilities.
For more info:
Katrina L. Ringler
Grants Manager / CLG Coordinator
Cultural Resources Division
Kansas State Historical Society
6425 SW 6th Avenue
Topeka KS 66615-1099
(785) 272-8681 ext.215
(785) 272-8682 FAX
kringler@kshs.org
8 Wonders Winners Announced ----- Submitted by Marci Penner, Sampler Foundation Many of you were part of the 19,146 vote count for the 8 Wonders of Kansas History. This was a huge increase from the previous best of 13,863, set with the Cuisine contest. So, thank you for participating along with people from every state of the union and France, Korea, Sweden, and other foreign countries.
Your voting resulted in these top 8! (in alphabetical order):
1930s Dust Bowl to Gas Exploration, Historic Adobe Museum, Ulysses Boot Hill Museum/Historic Dodge City Council Grove, Santa Fe Trail National Historic Landmark Fort Scott National Historic Site, Fort Scott Historic Fort Leavenworth, Leavenworth Historic Fort Riley, Junction City Kansas Museum of History, Topeka Kanza Tribe & Lewis and Clark's Independence Creek, Atchison
See full list of nominees here .
Gulf Oil Spill Threatens Historic Properties The Deepwater Horizon Oil Spill in the Gulf of Mexico presents a variety of resource management issues to officials attempting to mitigate damage caused by the continuing leakage of oil. Not only does this significant spill pose a serious threat to wildlife--affecting as many as 400 species along the coastal areas of Louisiana, Mississippi, Alabama, and Florida--cultural resources are at risk too. Shipwrecks, archeological sites, Civil War forts, and other historic structures in the Gulf area are at risk of damage from both oil and cleanup operations. Click on the link, below, to read more and see dynamic map.
Major New Report Just Out! Rutgers University Study Illustrates Federal Historic Tax Credits' Ability to Create Jobs, and Stimulate the Economy
Washington, D.C. (March 3, 2010) –
A comprehensive new report conducted by Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, analyzes the economic impact of the federal Historic Tax Credit since its inception in 1976 and concludes that the Historic Tax Credit is a highly efficient job creator—accounting for the creation of 1.8 million new jobs over the life of the program. The report found that Historic Tax Credits generated those jobs more efficiently than other stimulus options and, in fact, the study concludes that the economic activity leveraged by Historic Tax Credit returns more tax revenue to the U.S. Treasury than the cost of implementing the program. The report, the first-ever to comprehensively examine the economic impact of the federal Historic Tax Credit, also underscores the need for additional legislation to strengthen the federal credits, making them more widely available for smaller, rural projects and also encouraging their use for green and sustainable rehab projects. The report was conducted by researchers at the Edward J. Bloustein School of Planning and Public Policy, Rutgers, the State University of New Jersey, and commissioned by the Historic Tax Credit Coalition, a public policy advocacy organization. The report is the first-ever to examine the economic impact of the Federal Historic Tax Credit, also underscores the need for additional legislation to strengthen the federal credits, making them more widely available for smaller, rural projects and also encouraging their use for green and sustainable rehab projects. Enacted by Congress in 1981 as part of an economic stimulus package, the Federal Historic Tax Credit provides a 20% income tax credit for the rehabilitation of certified income-producing historic properties.
National Ceenter for Preservation Technology and Training Developing iPad and iPhone Apps for the Preservation Field. 
Kansas 150 Kansas will commemorate 150 years of statehood January 29, 2011. For more information contact Mary Madden, mmadden@kshs.org
 | The Star Spangled Banner is just one
of 1,200 sites and collections that have
received critical funding through the
Save America's Treasures program.
(Photo Credit: Ira Block/National
Geographic and Jeffrey Tinsley) |
Historic Preservation Needs Your Help The National Trust for Historic Preservation is asking preservationists to ACT NOW to Restore Funding for Historic Preservation Programs Last week, President Obama released his FY 2011 budget request that would eliminate funding for Save America’s Treasures (SAT) and Preserve America (PA), and cut funding for National Heritage Areas by 50 percent. These critical historic preservation programs matter now more than ever -- not only because they protect our national heritage but because they serve as economic development engines and job creators in the thousands of communities they serve. For example, Save America’s Treasures alone has been responsible for more than 16,000 jobs since it was created just ten years ago. Those supporters of preservation who would like more information or to take action can click here: act now
Help for Kansas Historic Homeowners May Come from Washington, Rather than Topeka, Via New Bill, "The Historic Homeowners Revitalization Act of 2009" While the state of Kansas caps its historic rehabilitation tax credits and preservationists scramble to reverse the resulting unintended consequences, U.S. Representative Russ Carnahan,( D. Mo) works to expand these incentives nationally. On September 29 Carnahan introduced HR 3670, “The Historic Homeowners Revitalization Act of 2009." The bill would amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to expand the incentives for the rehabilitation of older buildings to include owner-occupied residences. It would allow a tax credit equal to 20 percent of the qualified rehabilitation expenditures made by the taxpayer with respect to a qualified historic home if it is used as the principal residence of the taxpayer. The credit would not exceed $60,000 ($30,000 in the case of a married individual filing a separate return).
“Now is the perfect time to encourage investment in people's historic homes,” writes Carnahan on his website. “As the housing and real estate industry continue to struggle and unemployment on the rise, we need to make smart investments in projects, like rehabbing historic homes, that are proven to put Americans back to work.”
According to Carnahan, this legislation is intended to help homeowners preserve their historic homes, revitalize urban and rural communities in addition to create jobs that we desperately need. The bill is co-sponsored by 24 members of congress, none from Kansas. “These projects have proven to create thousands of jobs” Carnahan explains. “In Missouri, similar homeowner tax credit legislation has helped homeowners restore their historic homes and resulted in over 40,000 jobs since 1998.” Editor's note: For more information see also: http://www.federalhistorictaxcredit.org/ Legislation status: 5.H.R.3670 : To amend the Internal Revenue Code of 1986 to expand the incentives for the rehabilitation of older buildings, including owner-occupied residences.
Sponsor: Rep Carnahan, Russ [MO-3] (introduced 9/29/2009) Cosponsors (36) as of Jan 15, 2010.
Status: Referred to the House Committee on Ways and Means. WATCH FOR UPDATES HERE Letter of support of HR 3670 to Carnahan from Vicki Cox Golder, National Association of REALTORS(R) Letter of suport of HR 3670 to Carnahan from American Public Transportation Association. Letter of support of HR 3670 from the Heritage Society of Austin
National Trust for Historic Preservation Calls for Action On October 1, 2009, Senators Blanche Lincoln (D-AR) and Olympia Snowe (R-ME), along with Reps. Allyson Schwartz (D-PA) and Pat Tiberi (R-OH), reintroduced H.R. 3715 and S. 1743, our bill that would make beneficial changes to the federal rehabilitation tax credit and provide a greater incentive for the reuse of historic and older buildings. It would also encourage building owners to achieve substantial energy savings in building rehabilitations with graduated increases in the historic tax credit based on the level of efficiency achieved. The measure is a redrafted version of the Community Restoration and Revitalization Act (H.R. 1043 and S. 584), which was introduced in the last Congress. Tha National Trust for Historic Preservation is asking preservationists to tack action by contacting their Members of Congress to ask them to be a cosponsor of the Community Restoration and Revitalization Act -- especially if they are members of either the House Ways and Means Committee or the Senate Finance Committee--- or to thank them they have already become sponsors of the bill. An amendment Kansas historic homeowners would find most interesting is one that would Allow State Historic Tax Credits to Work More Effectively with the Federal Credit – Section 11 of bill. It specifies that state historic tax credits should not be considered federal income for tax purposes.To ensure the maximum amount of resources are targeted to offset the cost of restoring historic structures, state historic tax credit proceeds would not be taxed by the IRS and considered federal income unless the taxpayer elects to report it as such. Furthermore, the transfer or disposition of a state historic tax credit should not reduce the federal tax credit's qualified rehabilitation expenditures or trigger any recapture of income.
Richard Moe Announces Retirement as President of the National Trust for Historic Preservation
(November 3, 2009, Washington, D.C.) Richard Moe, the longest serving president in the 60 year history of the National Trust for Historic Preservation, announced today that he will retire from the post in the spring of 2010. Moe, 72, who has been at the helm of the nation's leading preservation organization for 17 years, said he has told the board that he will stay until a successor has been named, probably next spring. J. Clifford Hudson of Oklahoma City, the chairman of the National Trust for Historic Preservation's board, said he has established a search committee of National Trust for Historic Preservation board members and has secured the services of Mary Tydings at Russell Reynolds in Washington to assist in the search. More information is available at pr@nthp.org or 202-588-6141.
Kansas State Historical Society Gets Grant UPDATE: (June 26, 2009) On June 16, 2009, the Associated Press reported that The National Endowment for the Humanities and the Library of Congress announced plans to expand their digitization program, Chronicling America, to include grants to seven more states for a total of 22 states. It stated maximum 2-year grants of $400,000 would be awarded to Illinois, Kansas, Louisiana, Montana, Oklahoma, Oregon and South Carolina universities and historical societies. A Library of Congress press release specified that an award to the Kansas State Historical Society would be an outright grant of $259,354. The Kansas State Historical Society announced receiving the award of the grant in their June 25, 2009 press release, http://www.kshs.org/news/releases/pdfs/2009 Chronicling America, part of the National Digital Newspaper Program (NDNP), is supported by the National Endowment for the Humanities and the Library of Congress its site, http://chroniclingamerica.loc.gov/, allows individuals to search and view newspaper pages from 1880-1922. Carole Watson, acting chairman of the humanities endowment, said the goal is to eventually include newspapers from all 50 U.S. states. The endowment is investing about $5.2 million in the project this year and has spent $11.6 million in grants since 2004, said Nadina Gardner, director of the NEH preservation and access division.
Budget Bad News, Good News Bad News: Earlier this month we saw the Good News and the Bad News: The legislative session closed with a balanced budget that shares the pain of cuts. Two notable results are:
1) The Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit (K.S.A. 79-32,211) was among those tax credits that will receive a 10% reduction in tax years 2009 and 2010
2) An $800,000 cut to the Kansas State Historical Society’s (KSHS) budget. Bobbie Athon, Kansas State Historical Society spokeswoman told Kansas of Olde that, although staff positions have been cut, services offered to owners of historic properties should not be affected.
“KSHS will conduct planning this summer to address the budget cuts” Anthon said. “It is too early to know exactly what changes will be made. We anticipate offering the same Cultural Resources services we have in the past.”
The cuts are a result of the legislature’s directive that 2.75% be cut from the budgets of most state agencies, a cost-cutting measure to share the pain of this year’s difficult budget-balancing act. The Associated Press reported that the KSHS budget will drop from the previously anticipated $6.2 million to $5.4 million resulting in the elimination of 12 full-time positions through layoffs and down-grading full-time positions to part-time
The Good News:
ALERT: Protect the Environs Review Process When a nearby change such as a building or development is planned ... - Don't assume your zoning administrator and staff will recognize that such a change could affect the historic value of your property. He or she is not required to have that kind of a background.
- Don't assume you will be notified by mail. Your local zoning regulations may only notify you if the change requires a rezoning or a conditional use permit.
- Don't assume an alert will be published as a public notice... it may not be required by local zoning regs, and the cement could be set before you'd know it existed.
Without the environs review process facilitated by our State Historic Preservation Officer and staff, your property is at risk.
PLEASE CONTACT YOUR STATE REPRESENTATIVE TODAY! Remember to be kind, concise and polite. If you can't find the words, here are some. These are excerpts from letters and emails sent to legislators: ONE: Dear friends,
Please VOTE NO on HB2083 or any other bill or amendment which would change or nullify the current building/demolition permit review process regarding the 500-ft "environs" around buildings listed on the state and national registers of historic places. In a nutshell, "If it ain't broke..."
ANOTHER: Compatible development can, and does, occur in historic neighborhoods, but compatible development will not necessarily occur if the protective halo is removed. Thus, the protective halo is just that PROTECTIVE, not PROHIBITIVE.
AND ANOTHER: The 500 foot environs clause is for the purpose of protecting Historic properties from visual encroachment by development that would destroy part of the historic integrity. Thank you for your support and assistance.
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