What We Do:
Historic Preservation not only retains a sense of place, it is a planning tool for economic re-investment and sustainable development.
Through lobbying, testimony, publicity, education, and communication, CPA watches, protects, and advocates for the expansion of support for historic preservation-friendly legislation in the state. We have eyes and ears at the capitol.
Activities include:
Through lobbying, testimony, publicity, education, and communication, CPA watches, protects, and advocates for the expansion of support for historic preservation-friendly legislation in the state. We have eyes and ears at the capitol.
Activities include:
- work closely with our preservation partners and the CT State Historic Preservation Office to set legislative agendas and strategies each legislative session
- keep members informed and to call for support in contacting elected officials in support of the legislative agenda
- sponsored educational events to notify developers of evolving legislation and expanding opportunities.
- helped secure and maintain funding for the Community Investment Act (CIA) through education, lobbying and testimony on budget and other legislative items affecting preservation laws and funding
- work with legislators to expand state tax credits allowing millions of more dollars to support historic preservation projects in Connecticut
- lobby Congress to protect national preservation programs and funding for agencies
Over 3 Decades of Accomplishments
1981 Connecticut Environmental Policy Act amendments PA 81-177
1982 Connecticut Environmental Protection Act Amendments PA 82-367
1983 State Building Code Regulations amended for Historic Buildings and Demolition Delay enabling legislation PA 83-187
1984 Preservation and Care of Ancient Burial Places & Memorials PA 84-286
Historic Properties legislation PA 84-286
1985 Task force to study voting requirements for Local Historic Districts PA 85-77
1987 State Scenic Roads legislation PA 87-280
Reduction in voting requirement to establish Local Historic Districts PA 87-167
1992 Opposed merging Historical Commission within Department of Economic and Community Development
1994 Legislation establishing the Connecticut Main Street Program
1995 Opposed merging Historical Commission within CT State Library
1999 Legislation establishing CT Historic Homes Tax Credit (C.G.S. 10-416)
2002 Opposed closing of State Museums
2003 Support for maintaining funding for Historic Homes Tax Credit
Successful in maintaining essential preservation functions with the new Commission on Arts, Tourism, Culture,
History and Film, now renamed the Commission on Culture and Tourism
2005 Community Investment Act, creating funds available for grants for pre-development costs, local preservation organizations, open space purchases, affordable housing, and farmland preservation
2006 Legislation establishing Historic Structures Rehabilitation Tax Credit (C.G.S. 10-416a), for changing commercial or industrial property into residential use ($15 million/year)
2007 Legislation establishing Historic Preservation Tax Credit (C.G.S. 10-416b), for changing commercial or industrial property into residential use or for a mixed use consisting of primarily residential uses ($50 million/3-year period)
2008 Face of Connecticut Steering Committee established, creating coalition of historic preservation, farmland preservation, open space protection, and brownfields remediation
2009 Defended Community Investment Act against sweep for State Budget Deficit Mitigation
Defended against a merger of CCT into DECD
Defended against the elimination of historic rehab tax credits for Deficit Mitigation
2010 Successfully defended against the sweep of Community Investment Funds 5 out of 7 times
2011 Expansion of the definition of Certified Historic Structures and of future uses in the Historic Structures Rehabilitation and Historic Preservation Tax Credit Program.
2013 Expansion of the Historic Homes Tax Credit Program statewide
2014 Continued Support and Defense of the Community Investment Act
2015 Defended, the integrity of the Community Investment Act funds when Governor proposed to put them in the general budget; Saved a sweep, preserving 50% of the proposed 100% sweep
2016 Defended, the integrity of the Community Investment Act funds when Governor's budget proposed to cut several million. Reduced to 1 million.
2017 Defended the integrity of the Community Investment Act funds when Governor's budget proposed to cut several million.
2024 Defended major changes to the State Historic Preservation Office independence and ability to manage mitigation process.
1981 Connecticut Environmental Policy Act amendments PA 81-177
1982 Connecticut Environmental Protection Act Amendments PA 82-367
1983 State Building Code Regulations amended for Historic Buildings and Demolition Delay enabling legislation PA 83-187
1984 Preservation and Care of Ancient Burial Places & Memorials PA 84-286
Historic Properties legislation PA 84-286
1985 Task force to study voting requirements for Local Historic Districts PA 85-77
1987 State Scenic Roads legislation PA 87-280
Reduction in voting requirement to establish Local Historic Districts PA 87-167
1992 Opposed merging Historical Commission within Department of Economic and Community Development
1994 Legislation establishing the Connecticut Main Street Program
1995 Opposed merging Historical Commission within CT State Library
1999 Legislation establishing CT Historic Homes Tax Credit (C.G.S. 10-416)
2002 Opposed closing of State Museums
2003 Support for maintaining funding for Historic Homes Tax Credit
Successful in maintaining essential preservation functions with the new Commission on Arts, Tourism, Culture,
History and Film, now renamed the Commission on Culture and Tourism
2005 Community Investment Act, creating funds available for grants for pre-development costs, local preservation organizations, open space purchases, affordable housing, and farmland preservation
2006 Legislation establishing Historic Structures Rehabilitation Tax Credit (C.G.S. 10-416a), for changing commercial or industrial property into residential use ($15 million/year)
2007 Legislation establishing Historic Preservation Tax Credit (C.G.S. 10-416b), for changing commercial or industrial property into residential use or for a mixed use consisting of primarily residential uses ($50 million/3-year period)
2008 Face of Connecticut Steering Committee established, creating coalition of historic preservation, farmland preservation, open space protection, and brownfields remediation
2009 Defended Community Investment Act against sweep for State Budget Deficit Mitigation
Defended against a merger of CCT into DECD
Defended against the elimination of historic rehab tax credits for Deficit Mitigation
2010 Successfully defended against the sweep of Community Investment Funds 5 out of 7 times
2011 Expansion of the definition of Certified Historic Structures and of future uses in the Historic Structures Rehabilitation and Historic Preservation Tax Credit Program.
2013 Expansion of the Historic Homes Tax Credit Program statewide
2014 Continued Support and Defense of the Community Investment Act
2015 Defended, the integrity of the Community Investment Act funds when Governor proposed to put them in the general budget; Saved a sweep, preserving 50% of the proposed 100% sweep
2016 Defended, the integrity of the Community Investment Act funds when Governor's budget proposed to cut several million. Reduced to 1 million.
2017 Defended the integrity of the Community Investment Act funds when Governor's budget proposed to cut several million.
2024 Defended major changes to the State Historic Preservation Office independence and ability to manage mitigation process.
