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Malden council approves Community Preservation and CDBG funding for rental assistance, parks and historic preservation
Summary
The City Council approved multiple Community Preservation Act and CDBG appropriations, including $60,000 for ABCD rental assistance, funding for historic‑building masonry repairs, digitization of clerk records, $500,000 for the Malden Affordable Housing Trust and $500,000 for Linden Park restoration, and adopted the HUD Consolidated Plan for FY27.
The Malden City Council approved a package of Community Preservation Act (CPC) appropriations and adopted the city's FY27 Community Development Block Grant (CDBG) consolidated plan, advancing funding for rental assistance, historic preservation projects, parks and affordable‑housing planning.
Key appropriations adopted included:
- $60,000 to Action for Boston Community Development (ABCD) for a Malden Rental Assistance Program to support families in arrears and help about 20 households avoid displacement; CPC housing staff said ABCD will combine CPC funds with match and counseling services to provide wrap‑around support.
- $100,000 for exterior masonry/façade repairs to the former fire station/library building used by Public Facilities, with a clawback clause if the city later sold the property.
- $114,000 to the City Clerk for digitization and preservation of historical records that are damaged or brittle.
- $122,500 for buttress restoration at Saint Paul's Parish Church (historic preservation reserve).
- $250,000 for First Parish Church facade/masonry repointing; a councillor recused from that vote because of membership ties.
- $500,000 to the Malden Affordable Housing Trust Fund to support projects requiring local match and to leverage state and federal housing dollars.
- $500,000 for Linden Park restoration (playground and tot‑lot), with OSPCD planning community meetings and design work.
Councilors emphasized the practical role CPC funds play in leveraging larger state and federal investments, and members sought to ensure protections (conditions to avoid religious‑use spending on church grants and a clawback for property sale). Dan Koh of city staff and other OSPCD representatives described project scopes, preservation facts, and prior planning grants that informed the requests.
On the HUD consolidated plan, the council approved the FY27 CDBG suballocations, covering public services, housing rehabilitation, physical improvements and the Section 108 loan payment tied to the Malden River Works project. The adopted plan is consistent with prior community priorities and funds projects including Linden Park and the Malden skate park.
All appropriation orders were adopted by roll call as listed in the agenda; Councillor McDonald recused for the First Parish Church item because of an affiliation disclosed during the meeting. Councilors said they expect OSPCD and award recipients to provide oversight and community engagement as projects move to design and construction.
