New Historic Preservation Fund for Residents Proposed in Philadelphia

"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.