114-549: Westbeth Artists Housing is a nonprofit housing and commercial complex dedicated to providing affordable living and working space for artists and arts organizations in New York City . The complex comprises the full city block bounded by West , Bethune, Washington and Bank Streets in the West Village neighborhood of Manhattan , New York City ; the complex is named for the streets West and Bethune. It occupies
228-503: A grain elevator , a gazebo and a bridge. Objects are usually artistic in nature, or small in scale compared to structures and buildings. Although objects may be movable, they are generally associated with a specific setting or environment. Examples of objects include monuments, sculptures and fountains. Sites are the locations of significant events, which can be prehistoric or historic in nature and represent activities or buildings (standing, ruined, or vanished). When sites are listed, it
342-435: A 1-year plan focused on resources and implementation). Community participation is required when creating a consolidated plan. HUD then determines how the funds are distributed to the various applicant communities using a couple formulas which measure the extent of the poverty, population, housing overcrowding, age of housing, and population growth lag compared to metropolitan areas. No less than 70% of CDBG funds granted to
456-417: A 25 cents match in non-federal sources. Newly constructed rental housing must remain affordable for at least 20 years. For owner-occupied housing (newly constructed and remodeled), acquired rental housing, and remodeled rental housing, the minimum affordability term ranges from 5 to 15 years depending on the amount of funds received in relation to the number of assisted units. Unlike Section 8 vouchers, TBRA
570-555: A CDBG project can only be accomplished by new construction). However, non-profit and other organizations that are part of a neighborhood revitalization, community economic development or energy conservation project are permitted to use the funds for housing. In early 2011, President Barack Obama had proposed a budget for the 2012 fiscal year which included cutting the CDBG program by 7.5%, or $ 300 million. The HOME Investment Partnerships Program, another community block grant program,
684-472: A National Register nomination, although historians and historic preservation consultants often are employed for this work. The nomination consists of a standard registration form (NPS 10-900) and contains basic information about a property's physical appearance and the type of significance embodied in the building, structure, object, site, or district. The State Historic Preservation Office (SHPO) receives National Register nominations and provides feedback to
798-500: A Special Jury Mention. It has since screened at the US Library of Congress . Notable current and past artists-in-residence include: Non-profit housing Non-profit housing developers build affordable housing for individuals under-served by the private market. The non-profit housing sector is composed of community development corporations (CDC) and national and regional non-profit housing organizations whose mission
912-475: A broader series of area landmark designations it had agreed. In 2009, it took the formal step of scheduling the complex for a hearing and issuing a Statement of Significance. GVSHP urged the LPC to act before the end of 2010, the 40th anniversary of the complex's conversion to artists’ housing. On October 25, 2011, Westbeth was designated a landmark by the LPC. The Westbeth Artists' Residents Council (WARC), elected by
1026-528: A committee of residential tenants in their discipline. They must also meet certain income requirements at the time of admission. (The waiting list for new residential tenants was closed in 2007.) As of 2014, residential tenants paid an average of $ 800 a month in rent, including electricity, approximately one-third to one-quarter the market rate for comparable space. In addition to its residential component, there are also large and small commercial spaces, performance spaces, and rehearsal and artists' studios. Westbeth
1140-594: A community must benefit low- and moderate-income people (up to 80% AMI , or Area Median Income). The remaining amount may be used to prevent or eliminate slums or blight or for community needs caused by natural disaster. Funds may be used for the acquisition, disposition, or retention of real property; the remodeling of existing residential and non-residential buildings; social services; and economic development. Local governments are prohibited from utilizing CDBG funds for new residential development (except for “last resort housing”, or when comparable replacement housing for
1254-504: A general partnership, two or more entities come together to form a new business entity where each partner is jointly and severally liable for all legal and financial obligations. Also, each member has a right to participate in all partnership decisions unless specified otherwise in the partnership agreement . Partnerships are not tax entities, so all tax consequences are passed directly to individual partners; partners agree to shares of tax consequences, as well as cash flow and appreciation of
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#17327659205151368-563: A historic district are united historically or aesthetically, either by choice or by the nature of their development. There are several other different types of historic preservation associated with the properties of the National Register of Historic Places that cannot be classified as either simple buildings or historic districts. Through the National Park Service, the National Register of Historic Places publishes
1482-407: A home, to develop owner-occupied and rental housing (including acquisition of land and demolition of existing real property to allow for a HOME-funded project; and payment relocation expenses),to rehabilitate existing homes, and to provide “tenant-based rental assistance” (or TBRA). Development projects must be aimed towards households with no more than 80% AMI, and for rental projects, at least 90% of
1596-426: A housing fund created by the partnership of financial institutions, insurance companies and HUD. Also, if a private company conducts a large share of their business in a particular area they may also contribute land, money and expertise to non-profit developers. In the final phase of development the non-profit sponsor establishes the long-term viability of the project. This includes securing permanent financing for
1710-547: A limited partnership ( LP or LLC ) with an investor (see discussion above regarding ownership) where the investor becomes 99% partner. While LIHTC can be used to entice investors to a project, they seldom cover total development costs and developers must find additional sources of " gap financing ". Currently, the Housing Choice Voucher program (through Section 8) provides funds to Public Housing Authorities (PHAs) which pay single and multi-family homeowners
1824-597: A minimum requirement of affordability ranging from 5 to 30 years. A majority of the HTFs target those at and below 80% AMI; however, approximately a quarter of HTFs target the homeless or those with incomes at 50% AMI or below. Similar to Section 8 funds, since trust funds are generally administered by governmental or quasi-governmental agencies, to utilize the funds, non-profit development projects much be completed in partnership with housing authorities, community development departments or corporations, redevelopment agencies, or
1938-790: A number of influential artists, musicians and performers including Diane Arbus – whose suicide in 1971 caused a stir in the young community – Robert Beauchamp , Barton Lidice Benes , Paul Benjamin , Karl Bissinger , Barnaby Ruhe , Black-Eyed Susan , Joseph Chaikin , David Del Tredici , Robert De Niro Sr. , Vin Diesel , John Dobbs, Gil Evans , David Greenspan , Moses Gunn , director Tod Culpan Williams and his sister, former supermodel Rachel Williams , Hans Haacke , Billy Harper , Spencer Holst , Irv Teibel , Gayle Kirschenbaum, Anita Kushner , Ralph Lee , Hal Miller , Herman Rose , Barbara Rosenthal , Muriel Rukeyser , Ed Sanders , Tobias Schneebaum and Anne Tabachnick . Merce Cunningham ,
2052-594: A number of other possible governing agencies. (For more information regarding governing agencies, see Housing trust fund – Administration or governance ) Private assistance in the form of grants and low-interest loans for affordable housing is usually funded by local community foundations and national non-profits. Local community foundations focus primarily on improving specific neighborhoods, whereas national non-profits have broader objectives. For-profit corporations also offer funding opportunities through related non-profit foundations or partnerships such as Living Cities,
2166-646: A policy developed early in its history. The United States Supreme Court ruled in the 1971 case Citizens to Preserve Overton Park v. Volpe that parklands could have the same protected status as " historic sites ". Listed properties are generally in one of five broad categories, although there are special considerations for other types of properties that in anyone, or into more specialized subcategories. The five general categories for National Register properties are: building, structure, site, district and object. In addition, historic districts consist of contributing and non-contributing properties. Buildings, as defined by
2280-407: A property's financial viability through projected future cash flows . An operating model computes annual cash flow or operating income by subtracting operating expenses (maintenance, water, sewer, electricity, insurance, etc.) from income generated by rents and other income such as laundry, vending and parking services. Positive operating income is necessary to cover the mortgage payments on
2394-1272: A result, non-profit developers began to increase their technical competence and reduce the risk to potential public and private sector investors. National intermediaries include organizations such as the Local Initiatives Support Coalition (LISC), the Enterprise Foundation , Neighborhood Reinvestment Corporation (NRC) and the Housing Assistance Council (HAC). These organizations help non-profit housing developers access tax credits , corporate equity investment, secondary mortgage markets and lender commitments as well as offering training courses on real estate development and finance and community organizing and social service provision. Furthermore, these groups help non-profits form partnerships with each other and public and private parties, helping to foster support and funding for non-profit housing development. Non-profits generally form partnerships to develop and own affordable housing projects. Some considerations that non-profits evaluate before creating an ownership entity include
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#17327659205152508-607: A series of bulletins designed to aid in evaluating and applying the criteria for evaluation of different types of properties. Although the criteria are always the same, the manner they are applied may differ slightly, depending upon the type of property involved. The National Register bulletins describe the application of the criteria for aids to navigation, historic battlefields, archaeological sites, aviation properties, cemeteries and burial places, historic designed landscapes , mining sites, post offices, properties associated with significant persons, properties achieving significance within
2622-429: A state is determined by that state's population. Developers apply to state agencies, such as a state Housing Finance Agency , for allocation of tax credits. After receiving the tax credits, the developer then sells the credits to investors. No less than 10% of a state's tax credit allocations must be allocated towards housing development by non-profit organizations. When selling LIHTCs, developers typically enter into
2736-450: A variety of sources for both development and operation of these affordable housing units. Both the non-profit sector and for-profit sector build affordable housing, although missions, operations and financial and technical abilities differ. The core difference between a for-profit and a non-profit organization is that for-profit entities operate to produce returns to owners or shareholders , whereas non-profits either reinvest profits into
2850-454: Is based on a needs based formula (similar to the CDBG program). States are eligible for the higher amount of the formula allotment or $ 3 million; and local jurisdictions are eligible for at least $ 500,000. Of the money allocated to a state or local jurisdiction, at least 15% must be distributed to community-based non-profit organizations (Community Housing Development Organizations, or CHDOs). HOME funds may be used to assist people in buying
2964-548: Is difficult; these costs include architecture , engineering , site control and feasibility analysis. Non-profits also confront marketability , feasibility and financing problems that usually deter for-profit developers. Pre-development is essential for packaging a project proposal , and funding is necessary to work through any issues during this time. Lack of pre-development funding can lead to weak project proposals and failure to seize opportunities to acquire land. Also, lack of funds increases development risks and decreases
3078-614: Is home to a number of major cultural organizations, including The New School for Drama , the LAByrinth Theater Company , the Martha Graham Center of Contemporary Dance , and Congregation Beit Simchat Torah , the first LGBT synagogue in New York and the largest in the world, with more than 800 members. The space occupied by The New School was previously occupied by an off-Broadway theatre. Westbeth
3192-399: Is limited to two years and may not be used for project-based rental assistance. Finally, HOME funds must be committed (including reserving funds for CHDOs) within two years and be spent within five years. Oftentimes, HOME funds is not enough to bring rents down to the maximum allowed based on AMI; therefore additional funding must be acquired and used in conjunction with HOME funds, such as
3306-536: Is only an exception to the criteria that shape listings within the National Register of Historic Places. Of the eight "exceptions" [or criteria considerations], Consideration G, for properties that have achieved significance within the past fifty years, is probably the best-known, yet also misunderstood preservation principle in America. The National Register evaluation procedures do not use the term "exclusions". The stricter National Historic Landmarks Criteria, upon which
3420-528: Is required to "take into account the effect of the undertaking" on the National Register property, as well as to afford the ACHP a reasonable opportunity to comment. While Section 106 does not mandate explicitly that any federal agency director accept the advice of the ACHP, their advice has a practical influence, especially given the statutory obligations of the NHPA that require federal agencies to "take into account
3534-462: Is the locations themselves that are of historical interest. They possess cultural or archaeological value regardless of the value of any structures that currently exist at the locations. Examples of types of sites include shipwrecks , battlefields , campsites , natural features and rock shelters . Historic districts possess a concentration, association, or continuity of the other four types of properties. Objects, structures, buildings and sites in
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3648-483: Is to provide for the needy, the elderly, working households, and others that the private housing market does not adequately serve. Of the total 4.6 million units in the social housing sector, non-profit developers have produced approximately 1.547 million units, or roughly one-third of the total stock. Since non-profit developers seldom have the financial resources or access to capital that for-profit entities do, they often use multiple layers of financing , usually from
3762-523: Is utilized for projects over one million dollars. There are bonds which exist exclusively for use by non-profit organizations to provide residential rental housing. When used for such purposes, the IRS code places use limitations on at least 95% of the bond proceeds. Among the uses permitted, one places minimum affordable occupancy levels. Similar to LIHTCs, at least 40% of the units must be occupied by households with incomes 60% AMI or less, or at least 20% of
3876-596: The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP) has the most significant role by Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act. The section requires that the director of any federal agency with direct or indirect jurisdiction of a project that may affect a property listed or determined eligible for listing in the National Register of Historic Places must first report to the Advisory Council . The director of said agency
3990-579: The Advisory Council on Historic Preservation (ACHP), to confront adverse effects of federal activities on historic preservation. To administer the newly created National Register of Historic Places, the National Park Service of the U.S. Department of the Interior, with director George B. Hartzog Jr. , established an administrative division named the Federal Office of Archaeology and Historic Preservation (OAHP). Hartzog charged OAHP with creating
4104-481: The Bell Laboratories Buildings , which were the headquarters of Bell Telephone Laboratories 1898–1966, before being converted in 1968–1970. That conversion was overseen by architect Richard Meier . This low- to moderate-income rental housing and commercial real estate project, the largest in the world of its type, was developed with the assistance of the J.M. Kaplan Fund and federal funds from
4218-500: The Housing and Community Development Act of 1974 and replaced eight federal programs which granted funds to states and local communities based on project-specific proposals and had strict regulations on how the money could be allocated. In contrast, the CDBG program allows states and municipalities to budget CDBG funds based on their consolidated plan (a mandatory plan which outlines the community's housing needs, its 5-year strategy, and
4332-574: The National Endowment for the Arts . Westbeth is owned and operated by Westbeth Corp. Housing Development Fund Corp. Inc., a New York not-for-profit corporation governed by an unpaid, volunteer board of directors. Housing Development Fund Corporations (HDFCs) are a New York City-specific model of cooperative low-equity homeownership. As of 2009, Westbeth has a very old population, including many original tenants – about 60% of tenants were over
4446-727: The National Historic Landmarks designated before the Register's creation, as well as any other historic sites in the National Park System. Approval of the act, which was amended in 1980 and 1992, represented the first time the United States had a broad-based historic preservation policy. The 1966 act required those agencies to work in conjunction with the SHPO and an independent federal agency ,
4560-603: The National Historic Preservation Act (NHPA) in 1966 established the National Register and the process for adding properties to it. Of the more than one and a half million properties on the National Register, 95,000 are listed individually. The remainder are contributing resources within historic districts . For most of its history, the National Register has been administered by the National Park Service (NPS), an agency within
4674-569: The United States Department of the Interior . In February 1983, the two assistant directorates were merged to promote efficiency and recognize the interdependency of their programs. Jerry L. Rogers was selected to direct this newly merged associate directorate. He was described as a skilled administrator, who was sensitive to the need for the NPS to work with SHPOs, academia and local governments. Although not described in detail in
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4788-467: The United States Department of the Interior . Its goals are to help property owners and interest groups, such as the National Trust for Historic Preservation , and coordinate, identify and protect historic sites in the United States. While National Register listings are mostly symbolic, their recognition of significance provides some financial incentive to owners of listed properties. Protection of
4902-624: The 1966 act, SHPOs eventually became integral to the process of listing properties on the National Register. The 1980 amendments of the 1966 law further defined the responsibilities of SHPOs concerning the National Register. Several 1992 amendments of the NHPA added a category to the National Register, known as Traditional Cultural Properties: those properties associated with Native American or Hawaiian groups. The National Register of Historic Places has grown considerably from its legislative origins in 1966. In 1986, citizens and groups nominated 3,623 separate properties, sites and districts for inclusion on
5016-565: The LIHTC. Both HOME and CDBG funds have been criticized for being unable to provide subsidies large enough to provide housing for households with incomes equal to or less than 30% AMI. The purpose of tax-exempt bonds, or private activity bonds , is to promote job creation and increase economic development in local areas; therefore, they are not limited to housing creation. These bonds are issued by state Housing Finance Agencies (similar to LIHTCs ) or by local government development agencies. Since
5130-585: The NPS history programs affiliated with both the U.S. National Park system and the National Register were categorized formally into two "Assistant Directorates". Established were the Assistant Directorate for Archeology and Historic Preservation and the Assistant Directorate for Park Historic Preservation. From 1978 until 1981, the main agency for the National Register was the Heritage Conservation and Recreation Service (HCRS) of
5244-620: The National Endowment for the Arts), an ambitious renovation project designed to create live-work spaces for 384 artists of all disciplines was initiated under the direction of developer Dixon Bain. The project was the first significant public commission of Richard Meier. Westbeth opened in 1970 for artists, dancers, musicians, actors, writers and film makers. Artists of all disciplines are admitted as tenants in Westbeth after review by
5358-643: The National Park Service, including National Historic Sites (NHS), National Historical Parks , National Military Parks /Battlefields, National Memorials and some National Monuments . There are also 35 listed sites in the three island countries with a Compact of Free Association with the United States, as well as one site in Morocco, the American Legation in Tangier . Listing in the National Register does not restrict private property owners from
5472-448: The National Register criteria are based, do specify exclusions, along with corresponding "exceptions to the exclusions", which are supposed to apply more narrowly. A multiple property submission (MPS) is a thematic group listing of the National Register of Historic Places that consists of related properties that share a common theme and can be submitted as a group. Multiple property submissions must satisfy certain basic criteria for
5586-686: The National Register program mandated by the 1966 law. Ernest Connally was the Office's first director. Within OAHP new divisions were created to deal with the National Register. The division administered several existing programs, including the Historic Sites Survey and the Historic American Buildings Survey , as well as the new National Register and Historic Preservation Fund . The first official Keeper of
5700-569: The National Register when they become administered by the National Park Service. These include National Historic Landmarks (NHL), National Historic Sites (NHS), National Historical Parks , National Military Parks , National Memorials , and some National Monuments . On October 15, 1966, the Historic Preservation Act created the National Register of Historic Places and the corresponding State Historic Preservation Offices (SHPO). The National Register initially consisted of
5814-601: The National Register, a total of 75,000 separate properties. Of the more than one and a half million properties on the National Register, 95,000 are listed individually. Others are listed as contributing members within historic districts . It is hereby declared to be the policy of the United States Government that special effort should be made to preserve the natural beauty of the countryside and public park and recreation lands, wildlife and waterfowl refuges, and historic sites. Any individual can prepare
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#17327659205155928-530: The National Register, are distinguished in the traditional sense. Examples include a house, barn, hotel, church, or similar construction. They are created primarily to shelter human activity. The term building, as in outbuilding, can be used to refer to historically and functionally related units, such as a courthouse and a jail or a barn and a house. Structures differ from buildings in that they are functional constructions meant to be used for purposes other than sheltering human activity. Examples include an aircraft,
6042-460: The National Register. After the nomination is recommended for listing in the National Register by the SHPO, the nomination is sent to the National Park Service, which approves or denies the nomination. If approved, the property is entered officially by the Keeper of the National Register into the National Register of Historic Places. Property owners are notified of the nomination during the review by
6156-526: The National Register: religious properties (e.g., churches); buildings that have been moved; birthplaces or graves of important persons; cemeteries; reconstructed properties; commemorative properties (e.g., statues); and "properties that have achieved significance within the last fifty years". However, if they meet particular "Criteria Considerations" for their category in addition to the overall criteria, they are, in fact, eligible. Hence, despite
6270-754: The New York State Historic Preservation Board unanimously approved the nomination of Westbeth to the State Register of Historic Places. As part of an effort to extend landmark protections to the Far West Village, GVSHP campaigned to have the New York City Landmarks Preservation Commission (LPC) designate the entire complex as an individual landmark. In response, the LPC committed to this in 2004 as part of
6384-548: The Register was William J. Murtagh , an architectural historian . During the Register's earliest years in the late 1960s and early 1970s, organization was lax and SHPOs were small, understaffed and underfunded. However, funds were still being supplied for the Historic Preservation Fund to provide matching grants-in-aid to listed property owners, first for house museums and institutional buildings, but later for commercial structures as well. In 1979,
6498-426: The Register, as well as those located in and contributing to the period of significance of National Register Historic Districts, became eligible for the federal tax benefits. Owners of income-producing properties listed individually in the National Register of Historic Places or of properties that are contributing resources within a National Register Historic District may be eligible for a 20% investment tax credit for
6612-527: The SHPO and state's historic review commission. If an owner objects to a nomination of private property, or in the case of a historic district, a majority of owners, then the property cannot be listed in the National Register of Historic Places. For a property to be eligible for the National Register of Historic Places, it must meet at least one of its four main criteria. Information about architectural styles , association with various aspects of social history and commerce and ownership are all integral parts of
6726-521: The Westbeth Film Festival. A film about the noted feminist artist Anita Steckel , a resident of Westbeth, is in production by the same filmmakers. "Harry's Gift, A New York Story," is a 2015 documentary by Alexandra M. Isles about Harry Schunk, a photographer and long-time Westbeth tenant, and the man who cleaned out his apartment after his death. The feature documentary Winter at Westbeth by Rohan Spong charts one year (2014–2015) in
6840-417: The age of 60 years, and about 30% were over the age of 70. It is thus a naturally occurring retirement community , and has an on-site social worker. Children of tenants are allowed to take over their parents' apartment, and thus there is a multi-generational community. Due to the 10–12-year waiting period for an apartment, Westbeth closed its residential waiting list in 2007. This changed on March 18, 2019, when
6954-469: The benefiting families must have an income less than 60% AMI. For rental projects with five or more units being assisted, at least 20% of the households must have incomes less than 50% AMI. Other requirements for HOME funds include the match of funds from other sources, minimum affordability terms for projects, limits on TBRA, and a time limit on when the funds must be allocated and spent by. For every dollar of HOME funds received, jurisdictions must provide
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#17327659205157068-552: The choreographer and dancer, had his studio and offices at Westbeth for more than 40 years, from 1971 up to the time of his death and the dissolution of the Merce Cunningham Dance Company in 2012. Edward Field and his partner Neil Derrick, co-authors of The Villagers , lived together at Westbeth. As of February 2018, Field continued to live at Westbeth and was considered one of its icons. Jean-Marie Haessle and his ex-wife Lucienne Weinberger were among
7182-515: The conversion of the former Bell Telephone Labs to the nation's first subsidized housing complex for artists, including architect Richard Meier , choreographer Merce Cunningham , and Joan Davidson, the daughter of J.M. Kaplan who coordinated the founding of Westbeth. Following Prof. Dolkart's submission, and citing the "extraordinary significance" required to list sites on the State and National Register of Historic Places which are less than 50 years old,
7296-494: The council was awarded a major grant from the Pollock-Krasner Foundation for the council's official website. The website hosts individual artists' pages showing the work of its artist-residents and publicizes cultural events and exhibitions sponsored by the council. The council also functions as the tenants association, and is involved in various larger community issues, particularly with regard to preserving
7410-513: The difference between 30% of a tenants’ income and “fair market rent” for providing affordable housing. There are two methods of distributing Section 8 funds: through project-based assistance and through tenant-based assistance. Non-profit organizations are not directly allocated project-based assistance; therefore, a partnership with a PHA is required to take advantage of this program. PHAs may use up to 20% of their voucher allocation towards project-based vouchers. For non-profit developers that own
7524-680: The ease and speed with which decisions can be made, efficient provision of property management operations, and the number of investors required to meet equity needs and investment objectives of the investors relative to project cash flow , appreciation , and attitudes towards personal liability . Furthermore, impacts of tax considerations for the ownership entity itself as well as individual investors are also evaluated; this includes apportioning ordinary income liability and capital gains liability. Forms of legal ownership structures that non-profits create include general partnerships , limited partnerships and limited liability companies (LLC). In
7638-538: The effect of the undertaking". In cases where the ACHP determines federal action will have an "adverse effect" on historic properties, mitigation is sought. Typically, a Memorandum of Agreement (MOA) is created by which the involved parties agree to a particular plan. Many states have laws similar to Section 106. In contrast to conditions relating to a federally designated historic district, municipal ordinances governing local historic districts often restrict certain kinds of changes to properties. Thus, they may protect
7752-431: The event that debt service cannot be covered, the lender can foreclose on the property, taking the affordable units off of the market and hurting the mission of the non-profit. Non-profits can reduce the risk of foreclosure by securing long-term debt with public entities because public entities share similar missions as the non-profit and will be more inclined to restructure the financing, rather than foreclosing. Also, if
7866-596: The first residents of Westbeth. One of the first feminist theater groups in the country, the Westbeth Playwrights Feminist Collective , originated here. The film Growing Up At Westbeth by Christina Maile and Francia Tobacman Smith features archival photos, footage and interviews, 40 years later, with the children who grew up at Westbeth. The film was shown at the 40th Anniversary Celebration of Westbeth in October 2010 as part of
7980-523: The forbidding language, these kinds of places are not actually excluded as a rule. For example, the Register lists thousands of churches. There is a misconception that there is a strict rule that a property must be at least 50 years old to be listed in the National Register of Historic Places. In reality, there is no hard rule. John H. Sprinkle Jr., deputy director of the Federal Preservation Institute, stated: [T]his "rule"
8094-450: The form of equity, debt, grants and tax concessions (non-profits are tax-exempt entities per section 501(c)(3) of the IRS tax code). Through LIHTC, investors receive a tax shelter of one dollar ($ 1) for every tax credit received over a 10-year period. The price of individual tax credits may vary and does not necessarily have to be a 1:1 exchange. The dollar amount of tax credits available to
8208-401: The future. Thus, additions to an MPS can occur over time. The nomination of individual properties in an MPS is accomplished in the same manner as other nominations. The name of the "thematic group" denotes the historical theme of the properties. It is considered the "multiple property listing". Once an individual property or a group of properties is nominated and listed in the National Register,
8322-543: The group of properties to be included in the National Register. The process begins with the multiple property documentation form which acts as a cover document rather than the nomination to the National Register of Historic Places. The purpose of the documentation form is to establish the basis of eligibility for related properties. The information of the multiple property documentation form can be used to nominate and register related historic properties simultaneously, or to establish criteria for properties that may be nominated in
8436-628: The historic character of the West Village neighborhood, and zoning issues. The Westbeth Beautification Committee is a subcommittee of the Westbeth Artists Residents Council and a Westbeth tenant volunteer organization. The committee has held an annual Westbeth Flea Market since 1984. The flea market is dedicated to fundraising for projects that benefit Westbeth, the neighborhood community, local charities and disaster relief. Westbeth Artists Housing has been home to
8550-576: The institution started accepting applications for an indefinite period of time. Westbeth is among the first examples of adaptive reuse of industrial buildings for artistic and residential use in the United States. It is a complex of 13 buildings in Manhattan's West Village, which was originally part of the Bell Laboratories Building (1898–1966), one of the world's most important industrial research centers. The Bell Labs building
8664-420: The interest on the bonds is exempt from state and local taxes, lenders who purchase the bonds pass on this savings onto borrowers through lower interest rates. Tax-exempt bonds are similar to conventional loans in that the borrower must pay back the principle plus interest to the lender; however, tax-exempt bonds typically have longer financing periods compared to conventional loans. In general, this type of bonding
8778-428: The land where their housing development is located, Section 8 generally affects a project's income since rental subsidies are being provided. Project-based vouchers allow owners to dedicate a portion or all of their property for affordable rental housing and receive subsidies for doing so. In the event a tenant decides to move out of a subsidized unit, that unit remains affordable. In contrast, with tenant-based vouchers,
8892-480: The last fifty years, rural historic landscapes, traditional cultural properties and vessels and shipwrecks. Properties are not protected in any strict sense by the Federal listing. States and local zoning bodies may or may not choose to protect listed historic places. Indirect protection is possible, by state and local regulations on the development of National Register properties and by tax incentives. By contrast,
9006-462: The life of the building and spotlights three long-term residents: filmmaker Edith Stephen, poet Ilsa Gilbert and notable contemporary dancer Dudley Williams of Martha Graham and Alvin Ailey fame. It had its world premiere in 2016 at the 60th Sydney Film Festival . The film then had its international premiere at IFC Center , where it screened in competition as part of Doc NYC , ultimately receiving
9120-581: The lifetime is challenging for a non-profit. Often, affordable housing exists in weak housing markets and in neighborhoods characterized by high crime rates, vacant and abandoned properties and low rent prices. Housing in these markets is generally unattractive and thus difficult to rent, therefore buildings lose money due to high vacancy. Projects in poor markets can also experience high costs associated with increased screening of renters and preparation of units due to high tenant turnover. Also, affordable projects frequently rely on government subsidies to cover
9234-428: The likelihood of attracting capital investors or securing loans from private banks . Beginning in the 1980s, national, state and local intermediaries formed to improve the financial and technical plight of non-profit housing developers. These organizations improved the mobilization of capital including project and operating support, pre-development finance, and provided technical assistance for finance packaging. As
9348-569: The long-term in order to fulfill the mission of affordability. As a result of their business strategy, non-profits lack the financial and technical resources of for-profits, thus, forcing them to rely on multiple funding sources such as public and private grants and subsidies in order to cover development costs. Using multiple funding sources is risky because it creates complex financing which can be both timely and expensive. Most of these public and private sources exist exclusively for non-profit entities and although this provides an advantage for
9462-835: The multiple property documentation form, combined with the individual National Register of Historic Places nomination forms, constitute a multiple property submission. Examples of MPS include the Lee County Multiple Property Submission , the Warehouses in Omaha , the Boundary Markers of the Original District of Columbia and the Illinois Carnegie Libraries . Before the term "Multiple Property Submission"
9576-410: The need for debt and rental subsidies in order to support very low-income tenants. The following funding programs described are provided by HUD, but allocated to states and local jurisdictions for distribution to projects. Housing developers apply for funds through the states and local jurisdictions; however, the subsidy funding actually comes from federal monies. The CDBG program was established by
9690-797: The nine buildings included in the University of Connecticut Historic District in Storrs, Connecticut (listed in 1989, demolished in 2017), and the Terrell Jacobs Circus Winter Quarters in Peru, Indiana (listed in 2012, demolished in 2021). In France , designation of monument historique is similar to NRHP listing. In the French program, however, permanent restrictions are imposed upon designated monuments, for example requiring advance approval for any renovation of
9804-553: The nominating individual or group. After preliminary review, the SHPO sends each nomination to the state's historic review commission, which then recommends whether the State Historic Preservation Officer should send the nomination to the Keeper of the National Register . For any non-Federally owned property, only the State Historic Preservation Officer may officially nominate a property for inclusion in
9918-639: The nomination. Each nomination contains a narrative section that provides a detailed physical description of the property and justifies why it is significant historically with regard either to local, state, or national history. The four National Register of Historic Places criteria are the following: The criteria are applied differently for different types of properties; for instance, maritime properties have application guidelines different from those of buildings. The National Park Service names seven categories of properties that "are not usually considered for" and "ordinarily ... shall not be considered eligible for"
10032-455: The non-profit industry, for-profits would often refrain from spending the uncompensated time and effort for such complicated deals. Pre-development efforts such as acquiring land, forming partnerships , performing due diligence and gaining entitlements is the important first steps developers make before a project is launched. A major problem for non-profit developers is that their deals are thinly capitalized and funding pre-development costs
10146-621: The non-profit owns multiple buildings, diversifying the location of the buildings, type of tenants and source of project funding can diminish the risk of the entire organization failing if subsidies run dry or markets collapse. National Register of Historic Places The National Register of Historic Places ( NRHP ) is the United States federal government 's official list of sites, buildings, structures, districts , and objects deemed worthy of preservation for their historical significance or "great artistic value". The enactment of
10260-403: The now-defunct Save America's Treasures grants, which apply specifically to properties entered in the Register with national significance or designated as National Historic Landmarks . The NHPA did not distinguish between properties listed in the National Register of Historic Places and those designated as National Historic Landmarks concerning qualification for tax incentives or grants. This
10374-770: The organization and/or donate money to serve their mission. This inherent difference of organizational objective dictates the operational strategy of their projects; for-profits are likely to create affordable housing that maximizes profits, where non-profits aim to serve the most vulnerable populations. Examples of strategies that for-profit entities use to maximize profits include locating their projects in neighborhoods with strong rental markets, mixing market-rate units into their buildings to increase operating income, and developing an exit strategy to maximize sale proceeds from their building. Conversely, non-profits are more likely to develop in distressed neighborhoods, dedicate all of their units to low-income tenants and operate projects for
10488-457: The physical deterioration of the building and inability to meet debt obligations. Lack of revenue inhibits the property manager's ability to make repairs or capital improvements to the building, causing the property to fall into disrepair. To mitigate this risk, non-profit owners often establish a reserve account to cover capital expenditures in the event that a property does not generate enough income to cover maintenance costs. Furthermore, in
10602-432: The portion of rent that low-income tenants cannot afford (usually the difference between 30% of tenant income and market rents); projects are exposed to risk of losing future cash flows if governments cut tenant assistance programs. Furthermore, inadequate property management can affect operating income through the ineffectiveness of collecting rents or managing costs. Risks associated with loss of operating income are
10716-463: The preservation of income-producing historic properties. The National Park Service was given the responsibility to ensure that only rehabilitations that preserved the historic character of a building would qualify for federal tax incentives. A qualifying rehabilitation is one that the NPS deems consistent with the Secretary of the Interior's Standards for Rehabilitation. Properties and sites listed in
10830-474: The project and planning for future building operations and management. Non-profits will either manage the building themselves or contract a management company to oversee operations. Property management requires marketing, tenant selection, rent collection, maintenance, finance, rule enforcement, strategic planning , etc. A critical component of operating affordable housing is managing a project's financing. Developers create an operating model to determine
10944-462: The project. Limited partnerships are similar to a general partnership except that one or more partners act as a general partner, and the rest of the partners are limited partners. Limited partners are treated differently than general partners in that they are only liable for the capital invested and cannot participate in routine operations or decisions of the partnership without losing their limited liability protection. The partnership agreement defines
11058-792: The properties that were demolished or otherwise destroyed after their listing are the Jobbers Canyon Historic District in Omaha, Nebraska (listed in 1979, demolished in 1989), Pan-Pacific Auditorium in Los Angeles, California (listed in 1978, destroyed in a fire in 1989), Palace Amusements in Asbury Park, New Jersey (listed in 2000, demolished in 2004), The Balinese Room in Galveston, Texas (listed in 1997, destroyed by Hurricane Ike in 2008), seven of
11172-426: The property and if income is not enough to cover debt than the bank can foreclose on the property. Lenders measure the ability of a project's operating income to make mortgage payments by using a debt-service-coverage ratio , which is a calculation of annual operating income divided by annual mortgage payments; the higher the ratio the lower the risk of project foreclosure. Maintaining stable revenue throughout
11286-475: The property is not guaranteed. During the nomination process, the property is evaluated in terms of the four criteria for inclusion on the National Register of Historic Places. The application of those criteria has been the subject of criticism by academics of history and preservation, as well as the public and politicians. A property listed in the National Register, or located within a National Register Historic District , may qualify for tax incentives derived from
11400-498: The property more than a National Register listing does. The Department of Transportation Act , passed on October 15, 1966, the same day as the National Historic Preservation Act, included provisions that addressed historic preservation. The DOT Act is much more general than Section 106 NHPA in that it refers to properties other than those listed in the Register. The more general language has allowed more properties and parklands to enjoy status as protected areas by this legislation,
11514-573: The provision of affordable housing to low- and moderate-income households and are based on collected revenue sources. HTFs generally have far fewer restrictions than other forms of public financing and may be used for a wide range of development activities. For example, eligible activities under the National Housing Trust Fund include but are not limited to: property acquisition, development/rehabilitation costs, construction costs, and some operating expenses. Most trust funds have
11628-615: The rehabilitation of the historic structure. The rehabilitation may be of a commercial, industrial, or residential property, for rentals. The tax incentives program is operated by the Federal Historic Preservation Tax Incentives program, which is managed jointly by the National Park Service, individual State Historic Preservation Offices and the Internal Revenue Service . Some property owners may also qualify for grants, like
11742-670: The residential tenants, acts as the building's tenants association and provides cultural events to the public such as readings, performances, and film screenings in the Westbeth Community Performance Space and runs the Westbeth Art Gallery, which exhibits the work of both resident and non-resident artists; both in spaces donated by the corporation. The council receives public funding from the NYC Department of Cultural Affairs. In 2008,
11856-516: The responsibility of each partner and how the share profits and tax consequences. An LLC combines the advantages of a corporation for personal liability purposes (liability is limited to the amount of capital invested) and those of a partnership for tax purposes (the entity is not taxed). Since non-profits lack the funds to develop and operate their buildings they seek funding from external sources such as local, state and federal governments and private entities. Projects often have layered subsidies in
11970-413: The state of Colorado, for example, does not set any limits on owners of National Register properties. Until 1976, federal tax incentives were virtually non-existent for buildings on the National Register. Before 1976 the federal tax code favored new construction rather than the reuse of existing, sometimes historical, structures. In 1976, the tax code was altered to provide tax incentives that promote
12084-522: The subsidy is tied to the tenant, thus the tenant may move from one household to another and still be eligible for housing assistance. Section 202 and 811 are HUD programs that provide capital grants for non-profits to finance the construction, rehabilitation or acquisition of supportive housing for the elderly (Section 202) and the disabled (Section 811). These programs ensure that non-profit owners of elderly and disabled housing under these programs will not have to pay for long-term financing, by eliminating
12198-514: The total value of expenses incurred in preserving the property. Properties can be nominated in a variety of forms, including individual properties, historic districts and multiple property submissions (MPS). The Register categorizes general listings into one of five types of properties: district, site, structure, building or object. National Register Historic Districts are defined geographical areas consisting of contributing and non-contributing properties. Some properties are added automatically to
12312-606: The units must be occupied households with no more than 50% AMI. The federal government limits the amount of tax-exempt bonds a state can issue within a given year. Due to the 2007–2008 financial crisis , state housing finance agencies became "virtually frozen… out of the Housing Bond market", causing many agencies to either suspend or significantly decrease the amount of bonds issued. Housing trust funds (HTFs) are established at all levels of government (national, state, county and local). These funds are created specifically for
12426-418: The use of their property. Some states and municipalities, however, may have laws that become effective when a property is listed in the National Register. If federal money or a federal permitting process is involved, Section 106 of the National Historic Preservation Act of 1966 is invoked. Section 106 requires the federal agency involved to assess the effect of its actions on historic resources. Statutorily,
12540-550: Was added to the National Register of Historic Places on December 8, 2009, after the Greenwich Village Society for Historic Preservation (GVSHP), using funds from the J.M. Kaplan Fund, commissioned historic preservationist Andrew Dolkart to write a nominating report to list Westbeth on the State and National Register of Historic Places. The research included interviews with several key figures in
12654-607: Was created by Congress in 1990 and authorized as Title II of the Cranston-Gonzalez National Affordable Housing Act . Similar to CDBGs, a consolidated plan is required prior to distribution of HOME funds. Unlike CDBGs, HOME funds are granted to states and local jurisdictions specifically for the provision of affordable owned and rental housing for low- and moderate-income households by. States receive 40% of funds and cities and other local governments receive 60%. Allocation of funds
12768-501: Was deliberate, as the authors of the act had learned from experience that distinguishing between categories of significance for such incentives caused the lowest category to become expendable. Essentially, this made the Landmarks a kind of "honor roll" of the most significant properties of the National Register of Historic Places. As of 1999, 982 properties have been removed from the Register, most often due to being destroyed. Among
12882-472: Was home to many inventions, including the vacuum tube , the condenser microphone , an early version of television, and the transistor . The complex was vacated by Bell Labs in the middle 1960s, and remained empty until the Westbeth project started later in the decade. Using seed money from the J.M. Kaplan Fund and help and encouragement from the National Council for the Arts (which has since become
12996-671: Was introduced in 1984, such listings were known as "Thematic Resources", such as the Operating Passenger Railroad Stations Thematic Resource , or "Multiple Resource Areas". A listing on the National Register of Historic Places is governmental acknowledgment of a historic district, site, building, or property. However, the Register is mostly "an honorary status with some federal financial incentives". The National Register of Historic Places automatically includes all National Historic Landmarks as well as all historic areas administered by
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