Push for regulations and tax policies that reduce the cost of rehabbing historic structures to foster economic growth

In this era of economic troubles and concerns about sustainability, it is more important than ever to reuse what we already have. This is especially true of the built environment. Historic preservation and adaptive reuse of buildings throughout cities and rural areas of the United States, should be a goal that is vigorously pursued on a national scale. There are enormous economic gains to be had by doing so. This is a way to put many people back to work as well. In order to make this viable however, the cost of doing so needs to be reduced and a culture changed. One way to do this is, is to reduce the regulatory burden and cost of doing so. This will also necessitate a change in tax policy to provided further incentive to do so. This is also a way to preserve our nation's heritage.