Welcome to the online home of Ohio’s oldest statewide preservation easement program, administered by Preservation Ohio since 2004.
A “preservation” or “facade” easement is a legal agreement in which a property owner formally conveys the right to control the exterior of a property to a qualified organization such as Preservation Ohio. Preservation Ohio engages in a working relationship with the owner to create an agreement uniquely designed to reflect both parties’ vision for the property’s future. From that time on, Preservation Ohio will monitor the parts of the property governed by the easement agreement and has the legal ability to require that changes conform to that document.
For the owner, the donation of an easement can result in a financial incentive in the form of a charitable tax deduction; for the public, through the stewardship of Preservation Ohio, Ohio’s architectural heritage is preserved for future generations.
No all preservation easement programs are created the same, however, and there are important differences between ours and any other statewide easement program in Ohio that can greatly benefit property owners and can also benefit local preservation organizations. Please contact us for details.
Further, our easements are drafted in-house, giving us flexibility and the ability to undertake donation in a timely manner. Preservation Ohio currently holds easements in Washington, Clark, Ottawa, Montgomery, and Butler Counties. Each protects properties in perpetuity.
Program links:
Donating An Easement
Current Easements
