Defraying the costs of maintaining a historic home can help more families stay in their homes, according to the logic behind a preservation fund proposed in one of the most historic cities in the country.
"Philadelphia officials want to create a fund to help homeowners with limited incomes cover the costs of complying with the city’s historic preservation regulations," reports Jake Blumgart.
"For property owners, historic buildings come with pedigree, but plenty of responsibility in the form of costly bills for brickwork and historically accurate window treatments. In a city with an extensive stock of 19th-century buildings and many homeowners on a tight budget, the financial burden takes a toll."
The Preservation Alliance of Greater Philadelphia pitched the idea to the Philadelphia City Council earlier this month, modeling the idea on the city's Housing Trust Fund. While the preservation fund isn't ready to appear in legislation yet, the city has been busy considering a number of preservation policies and tools this year, many of which are documented by Blumgart here.
FULL STORY: Philly considers a new preservation fund aimed at owners of historic homes
How Philadelphia Prevented Mass Evictions
By requiring landlords to enter mediation before filing eviction cases, the city’s eviction diversion program has successfully kept thousands of people at risk for displacement in their homes.
Housing Programs on the Chopping Block in Philadelphia
The city of Philadelphia is facing a $649 million budget shortfall, and Mayor Jim Kenney is proposing to cut deeply from the city's housing budget to make up the difference.
For Many Charlotte Residents, Affordable Housing Still Isn’t Affordable
Over the last decade and a half, the city has put millions of dollars into affordable housing. But the help is not reaching Charlotte’s neediest residents.
Depopulation Patterns Get Weird
A recent ranking of “declining” cities heavily features some of the most expensive cities in the country — including New York City and a half-dozen in the San Francisco Bay Area.
California Exodus: Population Drops Below 39 Million
Never mind the 40 million that demographers predicted the Golden State would reach by 2018. The state's population dipped below 39 million to 38.965 million last July, according to Census data released in March, the lowest since 2015.
Chicago to Turn High-Rise Offices into Housing
Four commercial buildings in the Chicago Loop have been approved for redevelopment into housing in a bid to revitalize the city’s downtown post-pandemic.
Google Maps Introduces New Transit, EV Features
It will now be easier to find electric car charging stations and transit options.
Ohio Lawmakers Propose Incentivizing Housing Production
A proposed bill would take a carrot approach to stimulating housing production through a grant program that would reward cities that implement pro-housing policies.
Chicago Awarded $2M Reconnecting Communities Grant
Community advocates say the city’s plan may not do enough to reverse the negative impacts of a major expressway.
City of Costa Mesa
Licking County
Barrett Planning Group LLC
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
Mpact Transit + Community
HUD's Office of Policy Development and Research
City of Universal City TX
ULI Northwest Arkansas
Town of Zionsville
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
