Preservation Maryland’s Director of Government Relations Elly Cowan joined Senator Katie Fry Hester and Isaac Meyer from Compass Government Relations Partners in Annapolis May 16, 2022 as the Historic Revitalization Tax Credit – Funding and Extension (SB289/HB27) was signed into law by Governor Hogan, Senate President Ferguson, and Speaker of the House Adrienne Jones.
Much of Smart Growth Maryland’s work involves advocacy at the local level. In Maryland, where and how a jurisdiction grows – and does not grow – is decided locally through a comprehensive planning process. Public involvement is a critical part of that process, with plans reflecting the vision and goals for the community’s future expressed by residents. Local elected officials adopt these plans and implement them through a variety of means including zoning, so local elections can play a large role in the future of smart growth issues in a county.
The 2022 Legislative Session of the Maryland General Assembly will come to a close on Monday, April 11, 2022. After 90 days of championing key bills and testifying on many other pieces of important legislation, it is safe to say that Preservation Maryland had one of its busiest legislative sessions in the organization’s history. With Session adjourned until January 2023, we are proud to report that we were able to make significant policy advances for preservation and smart growth in Maryland, while also securing an unprecedented amount of funding for preservation across the state.
Preservation Maryland’s work takes us to some of Maryland’s most stunning historic places but also to important places that time has forgotten and to communities that need our help. We work every day to make preservation a priority in approaching the challenges and opportunities of every historic community across Maryland, from Baltimore to Brunswick. In this stunning video, Preservation Maryland is pleased to highlight some of our most important donor-supported work this year.
None of this work would be possible without the ongoing and generous support of our donors. Donor support makes the difference and is helping Preservation Maryland to save the very best of Maryland.
Eighty-eight years since our founding, Preservation Maryland is continuing to make impacts across the state every day in a variety of communities – working to help people save places that matter. Our work is as diverse as the state itself – from providing critical grant dollars to help save iconic structures to building coalitions that help protect stunning landscapes – Preservation Maryland is making a difference for our state’s history, heritage, and future.
In just the past year we led the effort to protect the historic Ellicott City – turning back disastrous proposals that would have devastated the community in favor of a new plan that carefully balances safety and preservation. What happens in Ellicott City could set a standard for flood resiliency across the nation – so we’re committed to making sure we get it right.
In Annapolis, our proactive advocacy in the state legislature has resulted in over $2.6 million more grant dollars for preservation projects since just 2018 – and we’ve also fought to secure improvements to the state historic tax credit that will help revitalize communities around the state. Moving forward, our goal is to increase funding to this critical tax credit program to help support the revitalization of communities across the state.
Preservation Maryland’s Six-to-Fix program is also demonstrating the power of preservation for good. Since the program’s founding in 2015, we’ve worked on a wide variety of projects across the entire state. In just the past four years, the program has helped to:
In addition to our targeted Six-to-Fix projects, Smart Growth Maryland, one of our newest programs, is leading coalitions in some of Maryland’s fastest growing counties – work that is curtailing sprawl and protecting our beloved Chesapeake Bay. From Frederick to Charles County, the program is bringing together diverse organizations that share a common mission of a Maryland that grows smarter. In turn, this work is also breaking down silos and building a much bigger tent for preservation across the state and entire region.
And, just this year, we also launched one of our most ambitious efforts to-date; The Campaign for Historic Trades, a partnership with the National Park Service’s National Historic Preservation Training Center, that is charting a bold new course for individuals interested in a starting a career in the historic trades. The six-month paid apprenticeship program puts young adults and recent veterans in National Parks working on restoration projects of some of our country’s most historic resources. At the end of their experience, apprentices are highly qualified to continue in the trades – creating a powerful career opportunity. Preservation Maryland’s leadership of the program has attracted national attention and is expected to continue to grow over the coming years.
From smart growth to job creation, we’re expanding the definition of preservation – and making even real and tangible impacts across the state. None of this work would be possible without the ongoing and generous support of our donors. Donor support makes the difference and is helping Preservation Maryland to save the very best of Maryland.
Since 1931, Preservation Maryland, a 501(c)3 charitable organization, has worked to protect the historic places, stories, and communities that make Maryland unique. Your gifts are tax-deductible as a charitable contribution in accordance with applicable law. Financial information is available on our website or can be obtained by contacting Preservation Maryland. Documents and information under the Maryland Charitable Solicitations Act are available for the cost of copying and postage from the Office of the Secretary of State, Statehouse, Annapolis, MD 21401.