Top Initiatives

Many communities across America are experiencing housing shortages, especially shortages of affordable housing. Tackling this challenge requires a multi-pronged effort, of which rehabilitation of historic buildings is a critically important component.
The ACHP promotes sustainable and resilient communities where historic properties are used as assets for promoting energy efficiency and community livability, and are prepared for climate impacts.
Saving our history starts with engaging young people today. Historic preservation is all about connecting places to people and building communities. In order to continue to advance the historic preservation movement for the future, we need to connect all people, from all cultures, diverse backgrounds, different walks of life and all ages to historic sites, cultural landscapes and sacred sites.
As the number of skilled workers in the construction trades has plummeted in recent years, the shortage of skilled preservation craft workers has continued to grow. Restoration work on historic buildings simply cannot be done without skilled workers, making the training of new craftspeople a critical priority.
The changing demographics of America pose opportunities as well as challenges for the national historic preservation program.
Federal agencies can lease federal historic buildings (or portions thereof) to nonfederal partners for residential, commercial, and other new uses. Learn more about the ACHP’s work to promote such leveraging of historic federal buildings for community benefit.
The ACHP supports federal policies and programs that promote use of historic properties to revitalize local communities.
In addition to the positions that may be open at the ACHP, there are many other ways to break into the field of historic preservation.