Proposals for CPA Funds Requested

Pilot Program applications up to $500,000 due by Friday, April 27

The Community Preservation Committee (CPC) has decided that the first round of applications for CPA funds in FY18 should be a ‘start-up’ Pilot Program that is limited to projects that are ‘ready-to-go’ and do not exceed $500,000 to fully fund a project or close a funding gap to complete a project.  The intent is to recommend projects that can be visible throughout the neighborhoods for affordable housing, open space and historic preservation before the end of the year.  Taxpayers have been paying the CPA surcharge since July/August 2017.  CPA funds available for FY18 are estimated at $18M.

CPA funds are primarily limited to capital projects and cannot be used for operations, maintenance or programming.  The Pilot Program will enable the CPC to test the application process and revise it before a larger round of funding becomes available around September 1.  The proposed timeline for the Pilot Program is shown below.

Review and Approval Process

Projects for CPA funding will be submitted by both City of Boston departments or agencies and Boston community and neighborhood organizations.  As the CPC reviews the submitted proposals, it will be assisted by city experts from Neighborhood Development, Parks and Recreation and the Boston Landmarks Commission.  Applicants are encouraged to follow guidelines in the CPC’s Community Preservation Plan to ensure the projects meet the priorities as identified in Imagine Boston 2030 and other planning initiatives of the City.

Projects approved by the CPC are sent to the Mayor for review and action.  The Mayor can approve, reduce or reject the funding requests, but cannot increase the funding recommendations or initiate new project recommendations.  The Mayor will then submit the CPC projects to the City Council for the appropriation of the CPA funds requested.  The City Council may hold hearings to hear testimony on the recommended projects.   The City Council has the same authority as the Mayor regarding the project requests.  Once the project appropriations are approved, the sponsoring organizations or entities will sign contracts with the City and the check process will begin.

CPA Revenue

Boston voters approved the CPA on November 8, 2016 to start in FY18.  The first quarterly FY18 tax bills sent out in July 2017 included the first quarterly CPA 1% surcharge.  The 1% surcharge was included in the quarterly tax bills in October and December 2017 and April 2018.  The City estimates it will collect CPA surcharges of $18M in FY18 and $20M in FY19.  The actual surcharge receipts are $15M as of March 31, 2018.