Tax credit proposed to preserve historic homes

CHARLOTTE, N.C. — This week, Gov. Pat McCrory urged lawmakers to restore tax credits for historic homes and businesses across North Carolina.

Charlotte's historic communities are echoing that call.

Members of the Charlotte Historic District Commission told us a recent survey shows most of the six historic districts in Charlotte are intact, but they're still looking at what changes need to be made to preserve the city's oldest buildings as they continue to hear concerns from business and homeowners.

John Phares lives in a historic home in Dilworth, one of Charlotte's historic districts.

"These historic homes just cannot be replaced," Phares said.

Four years ago, he started the group, Preserve Historic Dilworth.

"The process needs to be stronger to help protect our historic structures and sort of fight against heavy development pressure since this area ... has a lot of architecture, aesthetic character," Phares said.

John Howard, the administrator with the Historic District Commission, said Phares concerns are common.

"[There are] Houses being built that are too big, houses that are built not quite to the standards of the historic district like wrong materials, wrong details," Howard said.

Howard said a recent study showed most of Charlotte's six districts are intact, but there's work to be done in the Fourth Ward and Dilworth. He has seen a loss of structures built in the '30s and '40s.

Phares said a way to fight the problem is to implement a tax credit. He received a 30 percent tax credit to help preserve his home.

McCrory has been pushing to reinstate these credits that expired in 2014.

"We try to make as few alterations as possible, so future generations can see how people lived a hundred years ago," Phares said.

Members of the Historic District Commission plan on updating the guidelines this year that outline what homes are included in the districts. This could involve districts to expand to include homes built in 1965 and before.

 

WSOC