Boston City Councilor At-Large Michael Flaherty Holds Community Preservation Committee Hearing to Review $24.3 Million in CPA Funding

Councilor Flaherty, as Chair of the City Council’s Committee on the Community Preservation Act, led the hearing to review and approve the Mayor’s recommendations.
BOSTON, MA - Last week, Boston City Councilor At-Large Michael F. Flaherty, Chair of the Council’s Committee on the Community Preservation Act, held a hearing to review and recommend passage of the appropriation of over $25,500,000 in FY21 Community Preservation Fund revenues. The City of Boston’s Community Preservation Committee recommended these funds be used to support 67 projects across the city. This year, over $13M will be used to support affordable housing projects; over $5M for historic preservation projects; and over $6M for projects focused on the creation and preservation of recreational use and open space projects.

Following a very productive virtual hearing on Thursday March 25th with testimony from project advocates, neighborhood leaders, and representatives from the City of Boston, Councilor Flaherty will recommend passage of all 67 projects at the amounts designated. “Holding these hearings is one of the most rewarding parts of my job,” said Councilor Flaherty. “I get to see the fruits of the labor of so many who worked alongside me to get the Community Preservation Act passed in Boston, and we see how many fantastic organizations are doing top quality work to make Boston a better place. I am honored to be able to help those organizations with additional funds to support their goals.”

The Community Preservation Fund was created upon the adoption of the Community Preservation Act, Massachusetts General Laws Chapter 44B in November 2016. Including this fourth round of funding, over $92 million has been allocated to support 198 projects across the City. To date, 24% of funding has been devoted to 85 open space and recreational use projects, 23% of funding has been devoted to 86 historic preservation projects, and 53% of funding has been used for 27 affordable housing projects.
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Councilor Flaherty is proud of the success of this program thus far, having taken a leadership role in the campaign alongside the Yes for A Better Boston Coalition for its passage by popular vote in the City of Boston in 2016 and as the Chairman of the City Council’s Community Preservation Committee since its inception. Many projects from earlier rounds of funding are at or nearing completion and have had a transformative effect on their neighborhoods already. Councilor Flaherty added that “The program is really hitting its stride. The word is out there among our city’s non-profit groups that this funding is available, the Committee has a top-level staff who can help you in your application, and that these funds can really make a difference in the community.”
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