Historic tax credits are common at the state level—though they are contested and championed on a recurring basis all over the country.
Renee Kuhlman writes a report for the National Trust for Historic Preservation's Preservation Leadership Forum that surveys the country for state historic tax credits. The result: "34 states currently use Historic Tax Credits (HTCs) to encourage the redevelopment and preservation of qualifying historic buildings." The number of states with HTCs compares well to state with other types of tax credits, like Low Income Housing Tax Credits (18 states) and New Market Tax Credits (12 states).
Kuhlman credits the expansion of the number of states with HTCs to the leadership of National Trust President Richard Moe. When Moe took the job in 1994, explains Kuhlman, only eight states had HTCs.
As Kuhlman notes, however, HTCs have lapsed or been defeated in some states in recent years, such as Michigan, California, Indiana, and Alabama. The article includes positive developments for HTCs in states like Illinois, Virginia, Oklahoma, and Kentucky. Underlying all of the state examples of HTCs, is the federal HTC, which will be up for debate as the current Congress considers tax reform.
The article includes links to a few helpful resources for those looking to research historic tax credits in more detail.
FULL STORY: The State of State Historic Tax Credits
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City of Albany
UCLA Lewis Center for Regional Policy Studies
Mpact (formerly Rail~Volution)
Chaddick Institute at DePaul University
City of Piedmont, CA
Great Falls Development Authority, Inc.
HUDs Office of Policy Development and Research