Advocacy
Advancing preservation through policy and action
Advancing preservation through policy and action
Image: The Pennsylvania State Capitol, Dauphin County
In Preservation Pennsylvania’s role as an advocate for historic preservation, we address matters of Commonwealth-wide concern, including state-level legislation and policy affecting historic resources, as well as federal and local issues that have statewide implications.
We follow the activities of selected bills during legislative sessions and will keep you posted on the status of bills we are watching.
We strive to keep our membership, supporters and the public informed of timely issues through our monthly e-newsletter, special notices, social media and direct contact with a grassroots network of individuals and organizations.
Stay up to date on key preservation issues, legislative updates, and advocacy efforts across Pennsylvania.
Image: YouthBuild Philly, Philadelphia, 2025 Pennsylvania Historic Preservation Award
Preservation Pennsylvania and the Preservation Alliance for Greater Philadelphia (PAGP) are leading a statewide effort to strengthen and stabilize the Pennsylvania Historic Preservation Tax Credit – one of the Commonwealth’s most powerful tools for economic development and community revitalization.
Established in 2012, the state credit provides a 25% incentive for the rehabilitation of income-producing historic buildings. In its first five years alone, $15 million in credits leveraged more than $700 million in private investment. A $1 million rehabilitation project generates more direct and indirect jobs than most other industries in Pennsylvania, while returning tax revenue to state and local governments.
In 2024, after sustained advocacy led by Preservation Pennsylvania, PAGP and the PA Historic Tax Credit Coalition, the General Assembly increased the program’s annual cap from $5 million to $20 million – a transformative step toward making Pennsylvania more competitive with neighboring states. We are now working to advance House Bill 1572, which would raise the per-project cap from $500,000 to $1.5 million. Compared to other states, Pennsylvania’s per-project limit remains among the lowest in the country, limiting the program’s ability to support transformative projects.
At the same time, we are advocating for improved program administration. Timely award announcements, updated guidelines, and consistent communication are essential for the credit to function as a reliable financing tool. When awards are delayed or program materials are outdated, developers cannot confidently incorporate the credit into project underwriting – undermining its economic and preservation impact.
Through coalition-building, legislative engagement, economic research, and direct outreach to lawmakers, Preservation Pennsylvania continues to serve as the statewide voice for a stronger, more effective historic tax credit program – one that creates jobs, returns vacant buildings to productive use, and ensures that Pennsylvania’s historic places remain drivers of community vitality.
Image: Christ Church Tower, Philadelphia, 2022 Pennsylvania Historic Preservation Award
House Bill 1572 has already passed the Pennsylvania House with bipartisan support. It now awaits consideration in the Senate Finance Committee.
For this legislation to advance, the Senate Finance Committee must schedule a vote and report the bill out of committee to the full Senate.
We urge:
The Pennsylvania Historic Preservation Tax Credit is a proven economic development tool. Increasing the per-project cap will unlock additional private investment, create jobs, generate tax revenue, and accelerate the rehabilitation of vacant and underutilized buildings across the Commonwealth.
Now is the time to act.
Contact your State Senator and respectfully request that they:
Together, we can ensure this important economic development tool reaches its full potential.