An estimated $900,000 available for historic resources and open space/recreation land projects

Applications for this coming fiscal year’s Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds as well as the fiscal year 2020 Community Preservation Plan, which sets the funding allocations and priorities for the year, are now available.

An estimated $900,000 is available for projects that preserve Somerville’s historic resources and expand and improve our parks and recreation land. The City invites residents, organizations, and businesses to submit eligibility determination forms to see if they qualify for the funding. The forms and additional information are available on the CPA website at www.somervillema.gov/cpa under the “Apply for CPA Funding” tab.

Community members who would like to propose a project on City-owned land or request funds for a feasibility study must first submit a pre-application form, which is due Wednesday, May 15, by noon. The Community Preservation Committee requires the relevant City department to be a co-applicant on all projects on public lands. The CPA Manager will share submitted pre-application forms with the relevant department for review. The department will decide to sign on as a partner, propose the project be developed further and submitted in a future funding round, suggest the applicant join an existing effort related to the project, or decide not to sign on as a partner. If the department elects to sign on, staff will begin working with the applicant to submit the eligibility determination form.

This year is also the first year that the minimum funding allocations have changed since the CPA began in FY15. This year’s funding allocations are:

• Affordable housing = 50% minimum, estimated $1,021,986
• Historic resources = 15% minimum, estimated $306,596
• Open space and recreational land = 20% minimum, estimated $408,795

An additional 10% (estimated $204,397) is available in flexible funding. These monies go towards projects in the three categories above based on demand. For example, due to the large number of requests for open space/recreational land funds in FY18, 100% of the flexible funds were allocated to open space projects. The remaining 5% ($102,199) of CPA revenue goes towards the administration of the program.

Eligibility determination forms for all projects are due by Wednesday, July 10, at 4:30 p.m. and can be sent to City CPA Manager Kristen Stelljes atkstelljes@somervillema.gov. Applicants who are unsure of their proposal’s eligibility or have other questions may contact her via email or by phone at 617-625-6600 ext. 2107.

Two application workshops are being offered this year and prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to attend in order to learn more about the application process, both will be at the Central Library at 79 Highland Ave. 

• • • Tuesday, June 4 at 6:30 p.m.
    • Wednesday, June 5 at 1 p.m.

A video of the workshop will be posted online for those who are not able to attend in person.

The Committee will contact applicants later in July to let them know whether their proposal is eligible for CPA funding and can enter the full application process.

The Somerville Affordable Housing Trust Fund will release the application materials for affordable housing projects later and will have an estimated $704,986 available for projects after the first debt service payment is made on the 100 Homes $6 million bond that was approved in FY18.

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 Manager of Diversity, Equity and Inclusion, Nency Salamoun, at 617-625-6600 x2323 or NSalamoun@SomervilleMA.gov.

— City of Somerville