Who is a member?
Our members are the local governments of Massachusetts and their elected and appointed leadership.
Despite the decline in state matching funds in the Community Preservation Act program over the past few years, four communities – Belmont, Gosnold, Middleborough and Sunderland – adopted the CPA last month.
A CPA question was defeated, however, in the city of Marlborough.
According to the Community Preservation Coalition, 42 percent of the state’s cities and towns have adopted the CPA.
The CPA gives cities and towns the authority, at local option, to adopt a property tax surcharge of up to 3 percent for the purposes of creating affordable housing, acquiring open space, preserving historic buildings, or improving recreation facilities. The local surcharge revenues are then matched with money from a statewide trust fund supported by real estate transaction recording fees.
The decline in state matching funds is the result of growing participation in the program as well as a decline in registry fees. According to the Department of Revenue, communities can expect to receive about a 28 percent match for the first round of projects this year.