The Somerville City Council voted to approve the allocation of nearly $3 million in funding collected through the Community Preservation Act on Feb. 13. These funds will go to various projects throughout Somerville related to the preservation of historic buildings, maintenance of public open spaces, affordable housing initiatives and support for local nonprofits and community organizations.
The Community Preservation Act, adopted in 2012, is a fund supported by a surcharge on property taxes for Somerville residents — excluding those who qualify for an exemption — designated for public or private projects that apply for grant money.
“The Community Preservation Act program is a rare funding vehicle that enables the city to pay for capital improvements to open space and outdoor recreation, historic preservation and affordable housing. It can pay for both city-owned properties as well as privately or nonprofit-owned properties that serve a public benefit,” Roberta Cameron, the manager of the Community Preservation Act, said. “It’s very much a needed funding source for these types of projects, which otherwise we don’t have any way of paying for.”
Some of the projects receiving funding this year were the Somerville Museum, the water fountain installation at Nunziato Park, the restoration of 12 Pleasant Ave., a condition assessment of the Veterans Cemetary and the exterior renovation of the Elizabeth Peabody House.
The Elizabeth Peabody House is a local organization that provides affordable childcare and early education, as well as a weeklong food pantry. Their organization operates out of a 144-year-old former church at 277 Broadway St.
“It needs a lot of TLC, which is pretty expensive. [For] example, we’re just finishing up doing the windows, restoring the windows, replacing the bottom ones, all new trim. I mean, it cost about [$400,000],” Matthew Caughey, executive director of the Elizabeth Peabody House, said. “And we would not be able to do that kind of work if it were not for the [Community Preservation Act].”
The Elizabeth Peabody House received funding to replace its vinyl siding and, in the past, has used Community Preservation Act funds to pay for a structural assessment and window replacement.
According to Caughey, by helping with the upkeep of these buildings, this funding has allowed the Elizabeth Peabody House, and other organizations like it, to continue to make an impact on Somerville.
“For me, it’s less about Elizabeth Peabody House and more about this community asset, which is our facility. And so if, if what we’re committed to is providing dollars that really retain and improve community assets for community benefit, then it makes a real difference,” Caughey said.
The Community Preservation Act surcharge was increased to a legal maximum of 3% of residents’ property taxes after a ballot question in November 2024. This increase is double the previous surcharge and will increase the amount of funding the Community Preservation Act can allocate from approximately $3 million to $6 million per fiscal year.
“Thanks to the voters’ decision last year, and the taxpayers’ willingness to put their money behind this, we’re about to see double the impact,” Jake Wilson, Somerville councilor-at-large and chair of the Finance Committee, said. “[The higher surcharge] will see us increase our investments in affordable housing municipally, while also benefiting other really good things, like parks, playgrounds, schoolyards, open space and some historic preservation as well.”
Nearly $2 million was allocated to affordable housing initiatives at the Feb. 13 city council meeting. Around $350,000 was transferred from the Community Preservation Act Undesignated Fund Balance to the Community Preservation Act Community Housing Reserve, which is where the money allocated to housing is placed before it is designated to specific projects. $1.5 million was appropriated from the Affordable Housing Reserve to the Affordable Housing Trust, which is a fund governed by a separate body, unrelated to the Community Preservation Act.
According to Wilson, after they receive funding from the Community Preservation Act, “the Housing Trust Fund are the ones to actually decide how that money could best be used to advance our affordable housing goals.”
In the past, the funds have been invested in affordable housing developments, housing stabilization programs and projects to buy existing homes and place permanent deed restrictions on them, which requires them to be rented out to low-income families.
Organizations looking to receive funding from the Community Preservation Act submit their initial applications in the summer, and their applications are then reviewed in October by the Community Preservation Committee, a group appointed by the mayor, who prepare the budget for the fund and make project recommendations to the city council.
The Community Preservation Committee designates specific proportions of its collected funds to various projects according to the community response it receives.
“It’s our intention to give 50% to affordable housing, 20% to open space and recreation, 15% to historic preservation, 10% can be used in any program area, and then up to 5% can be used for administration,” Cameron said.
These proportions can change yearly based on research and feedback gathered by the Community Preservation Council, including a survey for Somerville residents, as well as a virtual public hearing to be held on March 26.
