Heritage Home Program(SM) Hits 6,500 Technical Assists

During July, the Heritage Home Program(SM) completed its 6,500th instance of technical assistance and its 3,400th site visit.  Many people gauge the program by the loans that are done (the 1,100th loan was done in July), but the heart and soul of the program is the technical assistance and site visits.  Our homeowner customers appreciate the unbiased, independent advice we give to any owner of a house that is more than 50 years old and located in a participating city (we now have 43 participating cities). To learn more, visit www.heritagehomeprogram.org.

New Report on Impact of  

Federal Historic Tax Credit

As part of its Prosperity through Preservation campaign to protect and enhance the federal historic tax credit (HTC), the National Trust for Historic Preservation and its subsidiary, the National Trust Community Investment Corporation, retained economist Donovan Rypkema to undertake a study that could quantify the ways in which the historic tax credit serves as a catalyst for economic development. This report, The Federal Historic Tax Credit: Transforming Communities, was released in June. It demonstrates quantitatively the catalytic impact that the rehabilitation of historic buildings has on the community and effectively shows how, in the case studies, that none of those projects could have been successfully redeveloped without the use of the historic tax credit. Click here to see the report.

Apply for a 2015 History Fund Grant

The Ohio History Connection Local History Office recently has announced that the application for 2015 History Fund grants is now available. To apply, visit www.ohiohistory.org/historyfund and click on "History Fund Application." Applications are due September 3 by 11:59 p.m. To with the application process, there will be a webinar on August 6 at 10:00 a.m. The webinar is free, but registration is required.

What You Can Do to Help in Cincinnati

The National Trust recently named both Union Terminal and Music Hall, Cincinnati landmarks, to its 11 Most Endangered list, highlighting the plight of these historic buildings. The Trust is currently circulating an online petition to encourage the Hamilton County Commissioners to allow a public vote on a sales tax, to help fund rehabilitation of these icons. Learn more and "sign" the petition here.

Three AmeriCorps Positions Open

The Ohio History Connection, State Historic Preservation Office is offering three AmeriCorps positions for 2014-2015. Two positions are for Community Surveyors in Piqua and Cleveland. A new position this year is for an Archaeology Survey and Outreach member in Columbus. The Archaeology AmeriCorps position will provide the member with practical experience on the practice of archaeology and the investigation of archaeological resources in Ohio through the archaeology programs of the Ohio History Connection. Click here for more information about the Community Surveyor positons available. The Archaeology Survey and Outreach position is not yet available through the AmeriCorps website. If interested in this position please contact Amy Rohmiller at arohmiller@ohiohistory.org or 614-297-2609.

Vacancy to Fill on the Cleveland Heights  

Landmark Commission

The City of Cleveland Heights is looking for interested parties to apply to the appointed volunteer position on the Cleveland Heights Landmark Commission.  The Landmark Commission designates landmarks in the city in order to preserve, protect and perpetuate places, buildings, structures, and works of art having a special historical, community or aesthetic interest or value.  The Commission consists of seven members who have been residents of the city for at least five years prior to their appointments by Council for three-year terms. The City is looking for a candidate with an appreciation of history, architecture and preservation; knowledge of construction techniques is a plus.  Commission meetings are at 5:30 p.m. on the first Tuesday of every other month.  Contact Kara Hamley O'Donnell for more information.  Click here for an application.

News from the Sarah Benedict House 

The Cleveland Restoration Society welcomes The Gaulding Law Firm and The Law Office of Robert Smith, III, LLC to the 3rd floor suite of the Sarah Benedict House. Welcome!

Register for the National Preservation Conference

Registration is now open for the 2014 National Preservation Conference in Savannah, Georgia, to be held November 11-14. Register before the early bird deadline of August 15 to save. The conference, PastForward, is the premier educational and networking event for those in the business of saving places. Preservationists, architects, planners, developers, environmentalists, students and scholars will come together to ask questions, challenge assumptions, debate solutions, and learn new skills and approaches. Make plans to attend today.