Historic Preservation Commission Technical Assistance ProgramPlanning Services Department
City Hall
50 West 13s1 Street
Dubuque, IA 52001 -4864
(563) 589 -4210 phone
(563) 589 -4221 fax
(563) 690 -6678 TDD
planning@cityofdubuque.org
The Honorable Mayor and City Council Members
City of Dubuque
City Hall -50 W. 13th Street
Dubuque, IA 52001
THE CITY OF
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
RE: Historic Preservation Technical Assistance Program
Dear Mayor and City Council Members:
Dubuque
All-AnistaCIty
2007
November 9, 2012
Attached for your consideration is a brochure describing a new Historic Preservation
Technical Assistance Program to help property owners prepare preservation tax credit
applications, with a priority on small projects.
The program offers incentives to owners of historic properties to maintain and improve the
community's historic and architectural heritage while taking advantage of historic tax credits.
It provides 50:50 matching grant funds for preparation of federal and state historic tax credit
applications, with an emphasis on the State of Iowa's small projects fund (that can provide up
to 20% for residential and income - producing projects under $500,000).
Any qualified technical assistance for preparing Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3 of Historic Tax
Credit Applications and supporting documentation, such as historic research and evaluation,
tax accounting, design, architectural, and /or engineering expenses.
This program is funded by CIP # 240 -2431 and # 102 -2431 with $15,000 annually. The
Commission recommends that the assistance be capped at $5,000 per project. The intention
is to help applicants access the State's Small Projects category (projects under $500,000),
which is not a competitive program like the tax credit program most Dubuque projects are
using. The State has a substantial balance in the Small Projects category, and this new
program will help Dubuque applicants access these funds.
The Commission recommends approval of the program guidelines on a trial basis. As this is
a new program, the Commission will monitor the program's progress, and then recommend
adjustments as needed. A simple majority vote is needed for the City Council to concur with
the recommendation.
Respectfully submitted,
David Klavitter, Chairperson
Historic Preservation Commission
F:IUSERS1Djohnson \Council ItemsMist Pres Tech Assist Council Letter.doc
Service People Integrity Responsibility Innovation Teamwork
Purpose
The Historic Preservation Technical
Assistance Program (TAP) offers incen-
tives to owners of historic properties to
maintain and improve the community's
historic and architectural heritage while
taking advantage of historic tax credits.
This program provides 50:50 matching
grant funds to assist with soft costs
associated with state and federal his-
toric preservation tax credit applica-
tions. Eligible expenses include architec-
tural, accounting, and qualified preser-
vation professional fees.
Preference is given to projects that qual-
ify for the State of Iowa's Small Projects
program (projects under $500,000).
The State Historic Tax Credit Small Pro-
jects program makes available up to
25% of qualified rehabilitation costs as
a credit against the owner(s) state in-
come taxes. Properties do not need to
be income - producing.
TAP also provides 50:50 matching grant
funds for preparing National Register of
Historic Places nomination for a
property or district.
Historic Preservation Tax Credits
For more information about historic tax
credit programs, please contact:
Beth Foster -Hill
Tax Credit Coordinator
State Historic Preservation Office
Phone: (515) 2814137
Email: beth.foster @iowa.gov.
For more information about
TAP, please contact::
Planning Services Department
City Hall
50 W. 13th Street
Dubuque IA 52001 -4864
Phone: (563) 589 -4210
Email: planning @cityofdubuque.org
Masterpiece on the Mississippi
Dubuque
MI-America City
2012
City of Dubuque
Historic Preservation Commission
HISTORIC
PRESERVATION
TECHNICAL
ASSISTANCE
PROGRAM (TAP)
1
Applicant Eligibility
The owner of any property at least 50
years old with architectural or historical
significance located in a local Historic
District, Conservation District, or is a
designated City Landmark, or is individu-
ally listed on the City of Dubuque
historic register. If the property is not
listed on the local register, it must be
designated to qualify for TAP funds.
The architectural or historical signifi-
cance of the property is based on the
City of Dubuque's historic property in-
ventory .
Grant Amount/Terms
This program provides up to $5,000 in
50:50 matching grant funds for prepar-
ing state and federal historic tax credit
applications. For example, a historic tax
credit project with eligible soft costs ex-
ceeding $10,000 would be reimbursed
the maximum $5,000 once the project
is complete. A project with $8,500 in
eligible soft costs would be reimbursed
$4,250.
Application Process
Assistance with the application is available
during regular business hours or by appoint-
ment at the Planning Services Department,
City Hall — 50 W. 13th Street, Dubuque,
Iowa. Applicants are encouraged to meet
with Planning Services staff prior to filing the
application.
Applications must include a completed Plan -
ning Application Form and a detailed descrip-
tion of the proposed project. Applications
must also include the Part 1 and Part 2 Tax
Credit Applications approved and on -file with
the State Historic Preservation Office.
Review & Approval
The Planning Services staff will review and
approve the TAP application. All applicable
licenses, inspections and permits must be
obtained before any work begins. Work
begun prior to having a required permit,
review or approval is not eligible.
Program funds will be reimbursed by the City
of Dubuque to the property owner AFTER
the rehabilitation project is complete and the
tax credit certificate is provided to the
Planning Services Department.
Eligible Improvements
All work must conform with the Secretary
of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilita-
tion and Guidelines for Rehabilitating
Historic Building. The following is a link to
these federal standards and guidelines:
www.nps.gov/hps/tps/standguide
Property owners cannot receive program
assistance unless their properties are in
compliance with City Codes or the owner
is actively working towards compliance.
Projects will receive a lower priority if the
property owner previously has received
assistance under this program.
Eligible Expenses
Technical assistance for preparing Part 1,
Part 2, and Part 3 Historic Tax Credit
Applications and supporting documenta-
tion, such as architectural, accounting,
and qualified preservation professional
expenses.