Applications Available for Fiscal Year 2021 Community Preservation Act Funding

Applications for this coming fiscal year’s Community Preservation Act (CPA) funds and the fiscal year 2021 Community Preservation Plan, which sets the funding allocations and priorities for the year, are now available. An estimated $630,000 is available for projects that preserve Somerville’s historic resources and/or expand and improve our parks and recreation land.

Determining Project Eligibility 

The City invites residents, organizations, and businesses to submit eligibility determination forms to see if projects they want to propose qualify for the funding. The forms and additional information are available on the CPA website at www.somervillema.gov/cpa under the “Apply for CPA Funding” tab. Eligibility Determination Forms are due on Wednesday, July 17, by 4:30 p.m. and should be emailed to the CPA Manager Judith Tumusiime at jtumusiime@somervillema.gov. Applicants who are unsure of their proposal’s eligibility or have other questions may contact her via email or by phone at 617-625-6600 ext. 2111.

This year funding allocations remained the same as those of FY19 and FY20 and are:

• Affordable housing = 50% minimum, estimated $781,595. 
• Historic resources = 15% minimum, estimated $200,550.
• Open space and recreational land = 20% minimum, estimated $232,358.

An additional 10% (estimated $219,219) is available in flexible funding. These monies go toward projects based on demand. For example, due to the large number of requests for open space/recreational land funds in FY18, 100% of the flexible funds were allocated to open space projects. The remaining 5% ($109,609) of CPA revenue goes towards the administration of the program.

Some affordable housing and historic resources funding has been allocated to support the debt service payments on properties bought as part of the 100 Homes affordable housing project and the historic rehabilitation of the West Branch Library. The Community Preservation Committee (CPC) has also recommended $206,080 in FY21 open space/recreational land funds be awarded to an emergency request for the reconstruction of the Central Hill Playground, which is currently under consideration by the City Council. 

Two virtual application workshops are being offered this year and prospective applicants are strongly encouraged to attend in order to learn more about the application process. The workshops are scheduled for Thursday, July 2, at 6:30 p.m. and Friday, July 3, at 1 p.m. Both will be held on GoToMeeting at https://global.gotomeeting.com/join/792438397 or by calling in to (646) 749-3122 and using access code 792-438-397.

A video of the workshop will be posted online for those who are not able to attend.

Blended Projects

The CPC encourages blended projects that combine two or more of the CPA focus areas (affordable housing, historic preservation, and open space and recreation). Applicants with blended projects that include a community housing component must apply to the Somerville Affordable Housing Trust Fund, which administers the portion of CPA funds allotted to housing, for funding for the community housing component and use the process outlined above to apply for funding for the historic/open space portion of their project.

Submit Funding Application

The Committee will contact applicants later in July to let them know whether their proposal is eligible for CPA funding and can enter the full application process.

The Somerville Affordable Housing Trust Fund will release the application materials for affordable housing projects later this year.

Individuals with disabilities who need auxiliary aids and services for effective communication, written materials in alternative formats, or reasonable modifications in policies and procedures, in order to access the programs and activities of the City of Somerville or to attend meetings, should contact Nency Salamoun, at 617-625-6600 x2323 or NSalamoun@somervillema.gov.