Council approves $38.1 million Community Preservation Act funding for 52 projects citywide
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Summary
The City Council accepted a Community Preservation Committee report and approved $38,148,052 in Community Preservation Act funding for 52 projects across Boston, allocating funds for affordable housing, historic preservation and open space.
The Boston City Council on April 2 accepted the Community Preservation Committee report and approved $38,148,052 in Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds to support 52 projects across the city.
Councilor Pepin, chair of the Community Preservation Committee, presented the committee recommendation after an annual hearing. The projects span affordable housing, historic preservation and open space improvements. According to the committee, 44 projects received full funding this cycle.
Committee members and councilors praised the work of the Community Preservation Office and named successful local projects that won funding this year. Councilor Lydia Durkin highlighted several appropriations benefiting historic properties in District 8 — including funds for Arlington Street Church, Beacon Hill Friends House, Old West Church accessibility improvements and the Ruggles Baptist Church — and said she appreciated the committee’s effort to distribute funds equitably across neighborhoods.
"The preservation committee's approach of not funding the same projects over and over again is very important to the city of Boston," Durkin said on the floor. Other councilors thanked Community Preservation Office Director Thadine Brown and staff for professional administration and outreach to applicants.
Council members noted the program’s role in producing affordable housing and preserving neighborhood assets: the committee reported 50 projects advancing affordable housing and the remainder supporting open space, recreation and historic preservation. The council accepted the committee report and voted to adopt the appropriations.
The CPA allocations will be implemented through the Community Preservation Office, Parks and Recreation, the Boston Planning & Development Agency and other recipient bodies as appropriate. Councilors encouraged applicants who did not receive funding to revise and reapply; the committee said staff provide feedback to nonawardees to strengthen future applications.
The council adopted the committee report and passed docket 0641 on the floor; the clerk recorded the committee report as accepted and the appropriation as passed.
