In 2024, the PA General Assembly increased the historic tax credit program’s annual cap to $20 million, an impressive quadrupling of available funding! We are grateful to the leadership of Senator Nikil Saval, Senator Frank Farry, Rep. Steve Samuelson, Rep. Jim Prokopiak, and many others in the House and Senate leadership for achieving this feat.

Building on That Progress

A key limitation remains, however, as the program’s per-project cap is still set at $500,000, unchanged since 2012. This outdated cap restricts the program’s ability to support larger, high-impact rehabilitation projects.

House Bill 1572 was introduced on June 10, 2025, to raise the per-project cap to $1.5 million. This common-sense update would better align Pennsylvania with peer states and ensure the tax credit can effectively support catalytic preservation projects, especially as construction costs rise and rehabilitation projects grow more complex. On June 30, 2025, the Pennsylvania House of Representatives passed HB 1572!

Take Action

As FY 2026–27 budget negotiations continue, our coalition is working to advance HB 1572 in the Senate and secure its inclusion in a forthcoming tax package. We encourage advocates, partners, and community members to join us in supporting HB 1572.

Contact your state legislators, share your project stories, and help us make the case for strengthening this vital program in the year of America’s semiquincentennial!

Find your legislator here, then use our boilerplate email templates below!

• Senate Action Item
• House Action Item

If your organization or firm is interested in joining the PA Historic Tax Credit Coalition, please email advocacy@preservationalliance.com.

Additional Resources:

• HB 1572 One-Pager, PA Historic Tax Credit Coalition, March 2026
• Issue Brief, PA Historic Tax Credit Coalition, June 2025
• State Historic State Credit Resource Guide, The National Trust for Historic Preservation, January 2023
• The Missing Key: A Study of the Impact and Potential of the PA State Historic Tax Credit, Preservation Pennsylvania and PlaceEconomics, April 2019
• PA Historic Preservation Tax Credit: An Evaluation of Program Performance, Independent Fiscal Office, January 2019

In the News:

• “House approves Goughnour bill to spark more historic preservation,” Pennsylvania House Democratic Caucus, June 2025
• “PA lawmakers incentivize builders to restore historic buildings,” NPR, July 2024
• “Pennsylvania’s Historic Tax Credit Increased to $20 Million,” Hidden City, July 2024
• “Quadrupled historic tax credit among the potential new supports for downtown Pittsburgh,” Pittsburgh Business Times, July 2024
• “‘Woefully behind’: Pa. advocates hope more support for historic revitalization is part of the state’s budget,” WHYY, June 2024
• “Strengthening PA’s Historic Tax Credit Would Bring Investment to Greater Philadelphia,” Center City Business Association, March 2024
• “Preservationists and Developers Say Pennsylvania Needs to Boost its Historic Tax Credits,” Hidden City, February 2024

Past Events

April 2024 Webinar Recording

On April 11, we hosted a coalition update call with Senator Nikil Saval to discuss the legislative outlook.

October 2023 Event Recording

Our campaign kicked off in October 2023 with a panel presentation to hear from national experts, state legislators, and local developers about the benefits that can come from strengthening the Commonwealth’s historic tax credit program.

View the event program and slideshow.

Panelists: PA State Senator Nikil Saval; Renee Kuhlman, National Trust for Historic Preservation; Aidita Milsted, New Jersey Economic Development Authority; Lisa Brownell, Ohio Department of Development; A. Roy Smith, Uptown! Entertainment Alliance Board of Directors; Moderator: Bob Powers, Powers and Company