Plan establishes the annual funding allocations for Community Preservation Act funds; Workshop offers tips on how to apply for funding

Are you passionate about affordable housing, historic preservation, or open space? Do you have ideas about how Fiscal Year 2018 Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds should be prioritized? Or are you interested in applying for CPA project funds? Join the Community Preservation Committee (CPC) for a two-part event on Wednesday, April 25, in the 3^rd floor conference room at the Visiting Nurse Association, 259 Lowell St.

At the 6 p.m. Pre-Application Workshop, individuals and organizations can learn about the CPA application process. The workshop will cover changes to the application process for the Fiscal Year 2019 funding round, the process for applying for CPA funds for a project on City land, and the new program to support feasibility studies for proposed projects. Then the 7 p.m. annual Community Preservation Plan Hearing will address how funds overall should be prioritized.

The Community Preservation Plan establishes the annual funding priorities and allocations for the three categories that CPA funds can support. Since Fiscal Year 2015, the annual funding minimums have been 45 percent for affordable housing, 15 percent for historic resources, and 15 percent for open space/recreation land (25 percent is flexible and 5 percent is administrative). The draft plan is available for review at www.somervillema.gov/cpa. Written comments are being accepted on the draft plan through noon on Thursday, May 17. Please send comments to kstelljes@somervillema.gov.

CPA funding comes from three sources: Somerville residents, through a 1.5 percent surcharge on local property taxes, optional additional funding from the City of Somerville, and a state match on local revenue. To date, more than $12 million in CPA funds have been awarded to 43 projects across all seven of Somerville’s wards. These projects have included the stabilization of Prospect Hill Tower and improvements to the surrounding park, conservation of the tombs and gravestones at Milk Row Cemetery, construction of the new Hoyt Sullivan Playground, and the acquisition of the 5 Palmer parcel for open space. CPA has also supported the creation of 78 new affordable housing units, including the conversion of the historic Mystic Water Works pumping station to affordable housing.

For more information on the CPA, sign up for the CPA Email Newsletter by visiting the City’s website at www.somervillema.gov/cpa and clicking “Sign Up Now for CPA News.”

Individuals with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication, written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures, in order to access the programs and activities of the City of Somerville or to attend meetings, should contact the City’s ADA Coordinator, Nency Salamoun, at NSalamoun@somervillema.gov or 617-625-6600 ext. 2323.

~City of Somerville