The Georgia Trust for Historic Preservation expressed deep disappointment after Gov. Brian Kemp vetoed HB 376, legislation that would have strengthened the state’s Historic Rehabilitation Tax Credit program.
In place since 2002, HRTC has driven more than $1 billion in private investment in the last six years, creating housing and jobs while rehabilitating historic buildings across the state. The program had broad bipartisan support in both chambers of the General Assembly.
Bipartisan supporters of the bill included Rep. Scott Sainz (R-Dist. 180) of St. Marys, GA, where Orange Hall serves as a cultural anchor for the community. It remains the city’s most prominent surviving example of antebellum architecture, according to the Places in Peril list published by the GTHP.
Other buildings saved by assistance from the tax credit include Ponce City Market, Hotel Clairmont, and The Candler Building in Atlanta.
“While cutting income taxes may be a popular initiative, it can have unintended consequences for tax credit programs like the HRTC,” W. Wright Mitchell, president and CEO of the Georgia Trust, said.
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Mitchell added that the state must identify ways to incentivize developers and owners of historic properties to revitalize Georgia’s historic resources.
The Georgia Trust thanked nonprofit partners in Savannah, Augusta, Columbus, Macon, Atlanta and Thomasville, as well as the Georgia Downtown Association, for their support of HB 376. The organization said it will continue advocating for preservation incentives.
“As we mark the 250th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence, the Georgia Trust calls on everyone to appreciate the historic places that connect us to our past and seek out opportunities to advocate for their preservation and reuse,” a press release stated.
