BROWNSVILLE, Texas – The Brownsville Community Improvement Corporation has launched an interactive map and one-page Historic Rehab Tax Credit Cheat Sheet to help property owners identify buildings with historic designations, understand possible federal and Texas tax-credit pathways and contact agencies before work begins.
The site documents 306 historic sites across Brownsville. Based on existing designation records, 278 show a potential pathway to both federal and Texas programs and 28 show a potential Texas-only pathway. Users can search by property name, address or district, review designation records and follow links to official source material.
The federal program provides a 20% credit for qualified rehabilitation expenses, while the Texas program provides a 25% credit. Projects meeting both programs’ requirements may pursue credits totaling up to 45% of costs eligible under both programs, although each credit is separately reviewed and approved.
The guide includes a readiness checklist, a four-step review path and contacts for the City of Brownsville Historic Preservation Office, Texas Historical Commission and National Park Service. BCIC emphasized that a mapped property does not guarantee eligibility or approval.
