Help is available for Columbia County homeowners

ALBANY, NY (06/02/2011)(readMedia)-- Columbia County homeowners are invited to attend a meeting to find out how they can save money while making repairs to their older homes.

The Preservation League of New York State will present a free workshop in Hillsdale to help homeowners take advantage of a tax credit for repairs to older buildings. The Hillsdale Historic Preservation Committee is sponsoring the workshop, which is expected to draw participants from around the region.

The workshop will be held on Thursday, June 9 at the Mount Washington House, 2627 Main Street, Rt. 23 in Hillsdale. During the workshop, which begins at 7:00 p.m., staff from the League will review the basic guidelines of the program and answer questions about the application process for homeowners.

The workshop is free and open to the public. For more information, call 518-325-5260. Additional support for the workshop is provided by the Empire State Development Corporation.

The New York State Historic Homeowner Tax Credit Program will cover 20% of qualified rehabilitation costs of owner-occupied historic houses, up to a credit value of $50,000.

"The Historic Preservation Tax Credit can be an effective tool in revitalizing the historic neighborhoods and commercial districts of upstate's cities and villages," said Rose Harvey, Commissioner of the Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation. "And it's a great way to help homeowners save significant money on improvements to their properties."

"This is the perfect time to finally fix that leaking roof, or repair drafty windows," said Jay DiLorenzo, president of the Preservation League of New York State. "This tax credit can help homeowners provide safer and healthier homes for their families, and protect the investments of business owners for years to come."

This program requires that the building be individually listed in the State or National Register of Historic Places, or in a listed historic district. Additionally, the building must be located in a qualifying census tract, and at least $5,000 must be spent on the project.

Hillsdale resident Alexia Lalli said "In a few short years, thanks in part to the Preservation League, Hillsdale was able to do a survey of many buildings in town, get the town listed on the National and State Registers of Historic Places, and turn preservation into tax savings with rehabilitation tax credits. This workshop will introduce the concept of tax credits to many more people who own commercial and residential property."

To find out if a home is eligible, please go to http://www.nysparks.state.ny.us/shpo/tax-credit-programs or contact Sloane Bullough at the New York State Office of Parks, Recreation and Historic Preservation at 518-237-8643, ext. 3252. Eligibility information will also be available at the workshops.