12.
Maintain the Historic Fabric of our Downtowns and Village Centers.
Promote and support the rehabilitation and use of historic downtown buildings and structures for innovative and creative small businesses, affordable artist housing, studio and performance space, cultural institutions, retail space, and services.
a. Provide a minimum of $300,000 annually for competitive grants to support downtown projects that would serve as economic catalysts.
b. Increase the cap on tax credits for life safety, accessibility, and rehabilitation work to $1.5 million in FY 2006, and raise it by $250,000 per year for the following four years.
LEAD: Governor, VT Legislature
PARTNERS: Regional Development Corporations, VT Agency of Commerce and Community Development, VT Dept. of Labor and Industry, VT Arts Council, VT Historical Society, VT Housing and Conservation Board, Preservation Trust of VT, and Housing VTFollow Links to See What Other States Are Doing