Committee previews $32.6M in Community Preservation Act awards and a $39.6M FY27 funding outlook

Councilor Enrique Pepen, chair of the Boston City Council Committee on the Community Preservation Act, opened a public hearing on April 21, 2026, to review the Community Preservation Committee's recommendations for fiscal-year 2026 and preview the FY27 budget. The committee received a presentation from Dating Brown, director of the Community Preservation Office, and Christine O'Keefe, director of the Neighborhood Housing Division at the Mayor's Office of Housing.

Dating Brown summarized the FY26 funding round as a $32.6 million slate that recommends 45 projects, 42 of which are recommended for full funding. "This funding will support playground renovations, tree planting, historic preservation and affordable housing across our neighborhoods," she said, and described the office's monitoring and outreach practices, including monthly check-ins for roughly 120 active projects and a public interactive map of CPA awards.

The presentation included historical context: since adoption of the Community Preservation Act in Boston in 2016, the fund has supported roughly 441 projects citywide and more than $260 million in awards. Brown also previewed the FY27 outlook, saying available project funding is estimated at about $39.59 million (a roughly $4.35 million increase over FY26) and noting a projected fund balance of approximately $5.7 million and a recommended administrative budget of $1.676 million.

Councilors asked technical and policy questions during a structured Q&A. Councilor Flynn asked what supports the CPA office offers applicants who are not recommended for funding; Brown said staff meet with unsuccessful applicants to review scope and budget and encourage reapplication, often after multiple rounds. Councilor Culpeper asked whether the CPA can establish a standing set-aside for senior housing; Brown said the FY27 request-for-proposals process will include a $1 million hold-aside for senior housing and that this funding round included substantially larger senior-housing investments (staff estimated near $12 million recommended in the round).

Councilors also discussed how CPA funds can pair with state projects. Brown explained that state and city agencies may apply for CPA funds if the project scope fits the statutory categories and if appropriate letters of authorization or long-term MOUs (commonly 15 years) and site-control arrangements are in place. On program rules, Brown reiterated that CPA funds are capital-only and generally limited to exterior work for historic preservation; interior work is considered only in cases of imminent threat to safety or the building fabric.

Staff described timelines for project implementation: most open-space and recreation projects are given a 24-month completion timeline with monthly monitoring and possible extensions; affordable-housing projects typically receive up to five years because of permitting, financing and tax-credit schedules.

Public testimony covered a range of recommended projects. Teuber, who identified themself as founder and executive director of Deeds Cry, urged the committee to fund a "Denita Morris Memorial Hall Park" to create visible community spaces for people affected by suicide loss, saying: "We have an opportunity to create spaces of healing for remembrance and for a community rooted in love, loss and healing." Deb Morse of Hebrew Senior Life described a proposed 78-unit supportive housing community in Roslindale and said CPA funding is "critical to the feasibility of this project." Preservation advocates and applicants — including representatives of Brighton Allston Congregational Church, First Asian Baptist Church, Haley House, the Congregational Library and Archives, Hope Central Church and First Baptist Church of Boston — described building repairs, accessibility projects and archival digitization that they said would protect services and public safety.

Dating Brown said the Community Preservation Office prioritized outreach, language access, and an eligibility process that allows early application through a rolling eligibility form. She thanked councilors for timely feedback and said staff would return with any supplemental details the committee requested.

The hearing record shows the committee received the presentation and public testimony and will forward the recommended slate and FY27 budget materials to the full council; no final council vote on the dockets was recorded in the hearing. "We will introduce this to Council soon," Chair Pepen said as he adjourned the hearing.

What happens next: the recommended FY26 slate and the administrative and revenue estimates for FY27 will be presented to the full City Council for consideration. The hearing transcript does not record a committee vote or a final council vote on the two dockets.