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The Post examined the rise in the abuse of "facade easement donations," which provide tax breaks for homeowners who promise to not change the outward appearance of their historic homes. The Post found that preservation laws in most cities already forbade unapproved changes to the exterior of these homes, so the owners were receiving six-figure tax breaks for something they could not change anyway. Furthermore, the Post found that this tax windfall was benefiting the wealthiest homeowners and was being fueled by for-profit promoters who took a cut of the tax breaks. The investigation prompted calls for reform from Congress before the stories were even published.