PRESERVATION ALERT

from the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation

June 15, 2007
www.gvshp.org

City Funding for Landmarks Preservation

Funding for Landmarks Preservation in City Budget:  GVSHP and a citywide coalition of groups fought to increase the Landmarks Preservation Commission's (LPC) budget by $1 million this year.  While an infinitesimally small percentage of the City's budget in a year of massive surpluses, this increase would have restored the LPC's budget to its 1991 levels and allowed the agency to better address the increasing demands by neighborhoods for consideration of new landmark designations and by owners for permits for necessary work on their landmarked properties.  Disappointingly, the Mayor did not include any increase in his budget for the LPC, and eliminated the $250,000 increase advocates had worked with the City Council to add to the LPC's budget last year. This year, City Council Landmarks Subcommittee Chair Jessica Lappin led the charge to seek our proposed $1 million increase, but ultimately the Council only agreed to restore the $250,000 addition from last year, and add an additional $50,000.  While an improvement, this shows that many of our leaders in city government still needs to be educated about the importance of historic preservation.

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PRESERVATION ALERT

from the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation

May 8, 2007
www.gvshp.org

 GVSHP URGES THE CITY TO INCREASE THE LPC'S BUDGET BY $1 MILLION

Please join GVSHP on Wednesday, May 9, 2007, at 12:30 pm for a press conference on the steps of City Hall urging the City to increase the Landmarks Preservation Commission's budget by $1 million. 

GVSHP has been working with our colleague preservation groups across the city to seek an increase of $1 million in funds for the Landmarks Preservation Commission budget.  Shockingly, while the LPC's workload has dramatically increased over the last 15 years, its budget  is less than it was 15 years ago in constant dollars.  An increase in the LPC’s budget by $1 million is a miniscule amount when considering the City’s overall budget, but one which would make a tremendous difference not only to this agency but to the City as a whole, and  would restore the budget to its 1991 levels.   

Last year, the City did increase the LPC's budget by $250,000.  With this larger budget , the LPC was able to increase its activities in surveying undesignated areas of the city and designating more historic districts and individual landmarks.  The extra funding truly made a noticeable difference in the work of the LPC, and GVSHP thanks the Village's council members (Council Speaker Christine Quinn, Council Member Alan Gerson, and Council Member Rosie Mendez) for their support of last year's increase.  However, this modest increase of $250,000 is not guaranteed for renewal this year, and an increase of $1 million is needed in order to ensure that the LPC has the funded it requires to fully protect our neighborhoods. 

Efforts to preserve our neighborhoods cannot be nearly as effective without a well-funded and well-staffed LPC.  We need your help to urge the City to secure this additional funding for the LPC. 

HOW TO HELP:

• Write a letter to your council member urging him/her to support the increase of $1 million dollars for the LPC's budget.  Click HERE to find your council member's name and contact information and for a sample letter you can use  to write to them.  To see GVSHP's letters to Council Speaker Christine Quinn and Council Members Alan Gerson and Rosie Mendez, click HERE.

• Join us on Wednesday, May 9, at 12:30 pm on the steps of City Hall for a press conference urging the City to secure this increase. 

With your help, we can get more funding for the LPC and provide more effective protection of our historic neighborhoods.

To join GVSHP or support our preservation efforts, CLICK HERE.