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Fall River committee reviews $1.816 million CPA appropriation; committee members urge more housing applications
Summary
The Community Preservation Committee (CPC) presented a $1,816,044 appropriation order for FY2026 funds and described project choices and reserves; councilors urged the administration and nonprofits to submit more affordable-housing and open-space project applications so available funds are used.
The Community Preservation Committee presented an order appropriating $1,816,044 from Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds for fiscal year 2026 and reviewed the committee’s recent awards, reserves and application process.
John Brandt, chairman of the CPC, summarized this year’s eligible projects and noted the committee’s preference to use CPA money as matching funds for larger capital projects. Brandt described historic preservation awards (including St. Anne’s and Durfee-related work), window restorations and a Coughlin School preservation project; he said the committee set aside the statutory minimum for housing and open-space categories when applications were lacking.
Committee members and councilors discussed reserves and how the CPC handles emergency applications. Brandt said the CPC keeps a 10% minimum in each statutory category and that unused funds accumulate for future eligible projects; he noted the community housing reserve stood at $249,150 and would rise after the current appropriation. He said the committee has limited emergency approvals but created an emergency application process this year for time-sensitive projects such as land purchases.
Several councilors questioned why fewer open-space and recreation applications arrived in the current cycle; the CPC explained that fewer matching-state funds and fewer city-park project submissions reduced the category’s pipeline, and two planned water-department land acquisitions were withdrawn before the funding round.
Councilors and CPC members discussed outreach and grant-writing support. The CPC chair said he had met with the mayor and encouraged the administration to coordinate grant applications with the CPC to increase project readiness. Councilors suggested the city’s grant writer and other staff should help prospective applicants prepare complete funding packages so high-quality housing projects can move forward.
A motion to refer the appropriation order to the full council carried on a voice vote; the CPC will provide its appropriation schedule and project details with the council for final approval.
