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Committee reviews Community Preservation Act basics and local funding history
Summary
At its Aug. 11 meeting, the Concord Community Preservation Committee reviewed the Community Preservation Act, local match history and examples of past projects, including housing, open-space acquisitions and recreation investments.
Chair Diana Proctor opened the public information session and turned the presentation over to Anne, who summarized the state law and how Concord implements it. "Each fiscal year, the CPC must allocate at least 10% ... 10% for affordable housing, 10% for open space, and 10% for historic preservation," the presenter said, explaining that recreation is an allowable but non-mandatory category.
The presentation noted that Concord adopted the Community Preservation Act in 2004 and funds the CPA account with a 1.5% surcharge on property tax bills (with exemptions for the first $100,000 of taxable value and for lower-income households and some seniors). The presenter reviewed historical state-match rates, saying Concord received robust matches in early years but that the match rate has declined as more communities participate; the presenter cited a 16.8% match in February 2026 as an example. Committee members asked clarifying questions and were directed to the application materials on the town website for more detail.
