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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE |
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State
Rep. Bob Freeman D-
Northampton
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Freeman receives Preservation Pa. award for government leadership
HARRISBURG, Sept. 18 – At a state Capitol ceremony this week, state Rep. Bob Freeman, D-Northampton, was awarded Preservation Pennsylvania's Leadership in State Government and State Issues Award for 2009.
Over the years, Freeman has sponsored related legislation. He authored the Elm Street program, which helps municipalities throughout Pennsylvania revitalize residential neighborhoods in proximity to downtown commercial districts through residential reinvestment grants. He also co-sponsored a bill that established the Main Street program, which helps to enhance numerous business districts of Pennsylvania’s core communities.
"I have always felt that the preservation of our urban neighborhoods and commercial districts, and certainly those with historic buildings in their neighborhoods, was an essential part of the future of our urban centers," Freeman said. "The revitalization of our existing communities and business districts ultimately contributes to the overall economic and environmental well-being of the Commonwealth."
In addition to this legislation, Freeman has been actively involved in preservation-related efforts, including:
· Served as chairman of the House Select Committee on Land Use and Growth Management in the 1991-92 legislative session.
· Sponsored legislation amending the Pennsylvania Municipalities Planning Code, allowing Pennsylvania’s municipalities to adopt Traditional Neighborhood Development provisions in their zoning ordinances, providing them with an alternative to single-use development.
· Authored legislation to extend basic grants for administrative costs associated with the hiring of an Elm Street manager for up to an additional 5 years.
· Sponsored legislation that became Act 24 of 2008, which requires municipalities through which the Appalachian Trail passes to implement zoning ordinances consistent with preserving the natural, historic and esthetic values of the trail.
· Sponsored legislation to extend the Main Street basic grants for a maximum of five years per project for administrative costs associated with the hiring of a Main Street manager.
· Sponsored legislation to establish the Historic Preservation Incentive Grant Program, which would provide grants to the owners of eligible properties for building renovations and improvements.
"All of these initiatives are important to the future of Pennsylvania, the integrity of our urban centers and the people who live there," Freeman said. "I will continue to work on related legislation to insure that the programs we have put in place continue to be valuable to these communities and help preserve historic pieces of Pennsylvania for years to come."
Preservation Pennsylvania works to help Pennsylvania communities protect their historic resources by providing education and advocacy programs, and creating partnerships that support that mission. It is Pennsylvania's only statewide, private non-profit membership organization dedicated to protecting historically significant properties.