State housing experts tell Lakeville committee CPA can fund preservation, small-scale construction and predevelopment work

Shelley Goering of the Massachusetts Housing Partnership told the Town of Lakeville Preservation Committee on Aug. 21 that communities can use Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds to acquire, create, preserve and support affordable housing — and that those flexibilities include predevelopment work, rent assistance and targeted acquisitions to extend affordability.

"What I wanted to do tonight is talk a little bit about how you can use CPA funds to support housing in your community," Goering said during a presentation that drew questions from committee members and staff about local capacity and expiring affordability.

The presentation outlined examples from across Massachusetts in which local CPA funds helped close financing gaps for rental developments, purchased existing multifamily properties to keep units affordable in perpetuity, and supported adaptive reuse of nonresidential buildings into age-restricted rental housing. Goering repeatedly emphasized the difference between ordinary rehabilitation and the CPA…