The Jamestown Renaissance Corporation is preparing to host a “Historic Tax Credit Workshop” on February 15. An overview of the workshop was presented at Monday’s City Council Housing Committee meeting. Pictured, from left, are Mary Maxwell, Jamestown Renaissance Corporation neighborhood project director, Councilman Brent Sheldon, R-Ward I, Councilwoman Regina Brackman, D-Ward III, and Housing Committee Chairwoman Marie Carrubba, D-Ward IV. P-J photo by Timothy Frudd

The Jamestown Renaissance Corporation is hosting a “Historic Tax Credit Workshop” on February 15 that will provide local homeowners with information regarding tax credits for renovations on houses in Jamestown’s historic districts.

Mary Maxwell, JRC’s neighborhood project director, presented an overview of the workshop during Monday’s City Council Housing Committee meeting.

Maxwell told the City Council that the event will be sponsored by Preservation Buffalo Niagara and Preservation League of New York State.

The historic tax credit event will be a free virtual workshop through Zoom that will be available to the public from 6-7:30 p.m. on February 15. Pre-registration for the event is required.

For local residents who do not use Zoom or do not wish to attend the workshop virtually, Maxwell said she has reserved City Hall’s police training room for an in-person option for the event.

“There’s a lot of people who don’t Zoom that might want to see it,” she said, “so that’s available, but I would like them to tell me if they’re going to come, so I don’t sit up here by myself.”

The Historic Tax Credit Workshop will provide an opportunity for local residents to discover the tax credit opportunities available as part of Jamestown’s historic districts. Maxwell explained that Jamestown has three historic districts recognized by the State Historic Preservation Office.

“For the residents live in one of the three Jamestown Historic Districts in town, you can get 20% tax credit on your New York state taxes if you go through their system of renovating your house,” she said.

For commercial properties in one of the city’s historic districts, property owners can receive a 30% tax credit from the state as well as a 20% tax credit through a federal program.

The workshop will introduce residents to the process of the tax credit program, reinforce the importance of historical preservation, encourage local property owners to engage in the tax credit program and provide information regarding resources that can help homeowners throughout the tax credit process.

According to Maxwell, the Downtown Historic District has about 100 properties. Property owners in the downtown district have currently invested $27 million and taken advantage of the state’s tax credit opportunities.

The city’s Lakeview Historic District consists of roughly 200 properties. Residents in the Lakeview Historic District have spent $88,000 and used tax credits to make improvements to their homes.

The third historic district is the Forest Heights Historic district, which consists of about 140 properties. Maxwell explained that the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation has not had anyone take advantage of the tax credits in that district yet, as it is the newest historic district in the city.

Maxwell said the city’s three historic districts were developed through the Jamestown Renaissance Corporation; however, she added that the city has “taken over the project” and is looking into the creation of a fourth historic district.

“We’re looking at sort of Park West neighborhood,” Crystal Surdyk, city director of development, said. “We did a cultural study. It was a grant that had been funded by Preservation League of New York State, so just wrapping that up and then identifying whether or not the State Historic Preservation Office would consider that area and find it a valid historic district.”

Surdyk added that nothing has been finalized with regard to the development of a fourth historic district. She explained that public engagement would be needed before forming the district.

Maxwell explained that the city currently has roughly 450 properties that qualify for tax credits.

“All of Jamestown could be an historic district, but you have to go through this process,” she said. “You have to go through this process and be approved by the state. You have to define the borders, and it takes time. We started doing this in 2014. We have gotten three done.”

Highlighting the benefit of the historic district tax credit program, Maxwell shared that a property owner recently had to pay $5,000 for restoration work on a chimney. Since the homeowner lives in the Lakeview Historic District, Maxwell said she was able to receive a $1,000 credit of her New York state taxes.

“It’s really a remarkable system,” she said.

While the State Historic Preservation Office does not control the home improvement choices of individual homeowners in the historic districts, Maxwell explained, “If you want the money, you have to play by their game.”

For more information about the event, city residents are encouraged to contact Maxwell mary@jamestownrenaissance.org or visit the Jamestown Healthy Neighborhoods website. To register for the free workshop event, residents are encouraged to visit https://secure.everyaction.com/s1Z78cVrHkKuxv80t32w-w2. ?