Tax Credits as an Economic Revitalization Tool: National Park Service’s Report

In January, then Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar joined Sen. Carl Levin, D-Mich., to host a meeting in Detroit that focused on how the highly successful historic tax credit (HTC) program could be used to spark development in communities that have faced significant long-term decline. Economic development, real estate and design professionals attended the meeting along with state and federal preservation officials and government representatives in addition to Sen. Levin. As a direct result of the discussions held at the meeting, Secretary Salazar announced an internal National Park Service (NPS) review of the HTC, with the goal of maximizing opportunities to use historic preservation in promoting economic development and revitalization.