February 27, 2024 | Main Spotlight: Main Street America Celebrates Second Annual Hill Day | Michael Jarosz, Coordinator of Government Relations |
Representatives from Main Street America and Coordinating Programs gathered in Washington, D.C., for the second annual Hill Day.
Earlier this month, folks from Main Street programs across 13 states went to Washington, D.C., to meet with members of Congress for Main Street America’s second annual Hill Day. Participants forged new relationships with policymakers and federal agency leaders, speaking about their Main Street programs, describing the challenges they face, and sharing the successes they’ve seen in their communities. They advocated for federal programs and funding that support thriving Main Street districts through economic development and community preservation, and they came prepared with specific asks to legislators that would improve their ability to support Main Streets.
Forging New Connections
Our time in D.C. resulted in stronger connections and new relationships. Before meeting with Congressional offices, participants got the chance to connect with folks from other organizations, including the National Trust for Historic Preservation, the National Trust Community Investment Corporation, KABOOM!, the Small Business Anti-Displacement Network, and Living Cities. Additionally, we met with representatives from a number of federal agencies, including the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD), the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT), and the Appalachian Regional Commission (ARC). We enjoyed connecting with old friends, creating new relationships, and identifying shared interests. These relationships will continue to improve Main Street America’s presence in the policymaking space.
In total, Main Street members met with over 70 Senate and House offices during Hill Day. Participants spoke with members on both sides of the aisle from states including Alabama, California, Florida, Illinois, Kansas, Kentucky, Missouri, Mississippi, New Jersey, Nevada, Pennsylvania, South Carolina, and West Virginia. They were met with attention and positive reception from members of Congress and the Administration alike. Throughout the day, Main Streeters could be seen exploring the halls of Congress, dining in the Congressional cafeterias, walking (and running) up Capitol Hill, visiting the Library of Congress, sitting in constituent coffees in the Capitol Complex, and celebrating the culmination of a successful day of meetings together on Capitol Hill.
Policy Priorities
During meetings, we advocated for funding to promote thriving Main Street communities. We requested that members of Congress support a funding line of $25 million for DOT’s Thriving Communities program in fiscal year 2025. We also asked members of Congress to sustain the Community Development Block Grant at $4.2 billion in fiscal year 2025 to ensure a vital resource for communities to redevelop and rehabilitate buildings remains. You can learn more about those asks here.
On the historic preservation side, we advocated for funding and legislation to support historic preservation in Main Street districts. We urged members of Congress to co-sponsor H.R. 1785/S.639, the Historic Tax Credit Growth and Opportunity Act (HTC-GO), which would offer several key improvements to the current program, including increasing the credit for small projects. We also requested robust funding of $225 million in fiscal year 2025 for the Historic Preservation Fund, including its competitive grant programs. We know the impact these programs have in Main Street districts, and we are hopeful to see continued funding. You can learn more about those asks here.
Emerging Impacts
We observed successes across the board during our Hill Day visits. At least one member of Congress we met with agreed to co-sponsor HTC-GO. Additionally, several members that sit on House and Senate appropriations committees supported the funding levels we requested for key programs in fiscal year 2025, laying the groundwork for next fiscal year’s advocacy on federal appropriations. Another member of Congress expressed support for a transportation bill that would improve safety and promote multimodal transit projects which would positively impact Main Streets. Additionally, many other topics emerged organically as our partners connected with legislators. They discussed things like bills to support small businesses and advance housing. These visits deepened our engagement with emerging federal policies that support Main Street districts. We were impressed by the level of engagement we received from Congress, and we look forward to growing Main Street America’s role in the federal policymaking process.
Thank you to the participants, partners, and Members of Congress who shared time and knowledge with us!
If you would like to engage in our advocacy work and join for next year’s Hill Day, please feel free to reach out to the Main Street America Government Relations team at advocacy@mainstreet.org.
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