Editing Perverse incentive (section)

=== Historic preservation schemes ===

* The United Kingdom's [[listed building]] regulations are intended to protect historically important buildings, by requiring owners to seek permission before making any changes to listed buildings. In 2017, the owners of an unlisted historic building in Bristol destroyed a 400-year-old ceiling the day before a scheduled visit by listings officers, allegedly to prevent the building from being listed, which could have limited future development.<ref>{{cite news |date=1 September 2017 |title=Bristol Jacobean ceiling 'destroyed before listings visit' |url=https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-bristol-41109143 |work=BBC News}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |date=31 August 2017 |title=Press release: Developer mutilates Jacobean ceiling to avoid potential listing |url=https://www.savebritainsheritage.org/campaigns/item/459/Press-release-Developer-mutilates-Jacobean-ceiling-to-avoid-potential-listing |work=Save Britain's Heritage}}</ref>
* The [[Tax Reform Act of 1976]] provided for loss of tax benefits if owners demolished buildings. This led to an increase in [[arson]] attacks in the 1970s as a way of clearing land without financial penalties. The law was later altered to remove this aspect.<ref>{{Cite news |last=Newcomb |first=Amelia A. |date=21 May 1982 |title=Historic buildings prove special target for arson |url=https://www.csmonitor.com/1982/0521/052135.html |access-date=2023-01-13 |work=Christian Science Monitor |issn=0882-7729}}</ref>