As most preservationists know, tax incentives can often be a critical deciding factor in getting a project off the ground. Convincing others of the awesomeness of tax incentives, however, can be a challenge - the words alone cause people's eyes to glaze over. And once this happens, they miss out on what a huge difference these incentives can make in revitalizing communities.

The National Park Service, by way of their YouTube channel, has come to the rescue with a short video that demonstrates the value of their Historic Preservation Tax Incentives program by looking at Washington, DC's Atlas Theater. The rehabilitation of the theater, aided by tax incentives, has contributed to the revitalization of an entire neighborhood - and speaking as someone who lives within walking distance, the change has been dramatic. (And so very welcome.)

One of the projects NPS Director Jonathan Jarvis mentions later in the video, the Crown Square Development in St. Louis, won our National Trust/HUD Award in 2010 - so it's not just projects in the shadow of the Capitol that benefit from these incentives.

So, tell your friends: historic preservation tax incentives rock! And when they give you that blinky, uncomprehending stare, show them the video. Then they'll get it.

Sarah Heffern is the social media strategist for the National Trust’s Public Affairs team. While she embraces all things online and pixel-centric, she’s also a hard-core building hugger, having fallen for preservation in a fifth grade “Built Environment” class.

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