Dear (Insert Staff Name),
Please pass my message on to Representative/ Senator (Insert Name).
(Insert Description of Business/Connection to Historic Tax Credit)
I'm a real estate developer in Columbia, SC who rehabilitates dilapidated structures and buildings that have been out-of-use or abandoned, but are nonetheless important to the fabric of our downtown. Many of these blighted buildings were once owned by families who have not had the means to keep them up. Slowly, these buildings fell into disrepair. In some cases, a family or small business located in a dying part of town could not afford to pay both its property taxes and for the upkeep of its property. We have seen this play out time and time again all across American downtowns, whether in small towns or large cities.
However, these buildings are very important in that they tell a story of who we are as a community. They serve as a visual timeline of a town's successes and, unfortunately, sometimes of its failures.
(Impact of Historic Tax Credit Using Anecdote or HTC Talking Points)
Many of these buildings are historically significant and, therefore, are eligible for historic tax credits. Some buildings have a unique history or relevance to a particular community that is only unearthed or rediscovered during a historic rehabilitation. Meanwhile, other non-significant but otherwise useful structures see adaptive reuse only because of their proximity to a HTC project. In my experience, historic credits have more of an impact on urban revitalization than they are often given credit for.
It's these buildings, both HTC-eligible and those that surround HTC projects, that I concentrate on. The historic credits are most often the difference in these buildings surviving and the continuation of a building's history being told.
(Brief Description of a Current Project)
I currently have two projects, which are about to start, with a third project in the pipeline. My company has spent over two years getting the nominations for these projects approved in the National Register of Historic Places, devising tens-of-thousands of dollars in architecture plans and ultimately securing loans from a bank to complete these projects.
These multi-million dollar projects will likely grind to a halt with the current uncertainty in the HTC market. I'm set to close on a loan in in the next two months, only to learn that my company’s work and investment of time, effort and resources may be for nothing if the credit is lost during tax reform.
(Ask Member of Congress to Support HTCs and Historic Tax Credit Legislation)
I urge you to take the long view and the enormous positive impact that historic tax credits have on keeping our historic structures intact. As you contemplate tax reform, please also consider the preservation and adaptive reuse projects we have supported in downtown Columbia that have helped reshape the city, brought back residents to downtown, and enhanced the environment around the University and the State House.
The best way to support the HTCs and their ability to drive economic growth as anchors to revitalized neighborhoods, convert unused space into new residential or retail structures, and preserve the city’s historic fabric is to support the Historic Tax Credit Improvement Act during tax reform. The language of this legislation preserves and updates the federal HTC program in ways that make the program more useful and efficient for years to come.
(Offer Additional Information, Site Visits, or Support)
If you need any data to help support these programs, please do not hesitate to contact me. With dozens of projects under our belts and many more in process, we know there is a compelling story to tell, and one that will continue to have immediate results relating to the investment made through fiscal policy. We would also like to invite Representative/ Senator (Insert Name) to visit our projects the next time he/she is home.
Thanks for your consideration,
(Insert Your Name and Organization)