Lakeville CPC hears state housing experts on using CPA funds; members urged to form housing trust

SHELLEY GEHRING, a member of the Community Assistance Team at the Massachusetts Housing Partnership, told the Town of Lakeville Community Preservation Committee on Aug. 21 that Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds can be used in several ways to create, preserve and support affordable housing, including acquisition, buy-downs, new construction, adaptive reuse and rent assistance.

The presentation matters because Lakeville has multiple affordable units whose affordability restrictions will expire in coming years, and committee members said they want a formal housing trust and clearer local capacity to respond to expiring-use risk. Committee members asked for Select Board members to watch the presentation and for staff and consultants to follow up with practical next steps.

Gehring outlined examples from other Massachusetts communities where small local contributions leveraged state and federal resources: a Barnstable multifamily purchase that used $500,000 in local CPA funds to preserve 124 units, Brewster and Norwell…