Mayor Wu Announces Community Preservation Act Funding Allocated for 56 Projects Totaling More than $40M
Update
04/19/23
Mayor Wu Announces Community Preservation Act Funding Allocated for 56 Projects Totaling More than $40M
Mayor Michelle Wu and the City of Boston Community Preservation Committee (CPC) haved announced the approval of 56 projects totaling over $40 million through the Community Preservation Act (CPA). Following the CPC's public hearing and Mayor Wu's recommendation, the proposed projects were approved by the Boston City Council at their weekly meeting on Wednesday, April 12. Projects supported with Community Preservation Act funding must create or preserve affordable housing, historic sites, or open space and recreation.
“The Community Preservation Act works to build a Boston for everyone by investing in both our City’s history and its future,” said Mayor Michelle Wu. “I am proud to partner with the Community Preservation Committee on these new projects which will help preserve historic assets while boosting access to affordable housing, open space, and recreation.”
“I wish to thank the Community Preservation Committee and team for their steadfast leadership and work with the community over the past five years to enhance our neighborhoods through historic preservation, parks and open spaces, and affordable housing projects,” said City Council President Ed Flynn. “I am particularly excited to see that over $20 million of CPA funds this year will go towards funding affordable housing across the city, including $4 million to create 110 units in Chinatown to support our immigrant neighbors and working families, and $2.5 million to create affordable housing for seniors at the McDevitt Senior Homes in South Boston. Both of these neighborhoods are seeing increasing displacement of lower and middle income residents and families as a result of high rents.”
“Some of the most exciting and creative projects in our ever-changing City–innovative affordable housing projects, parks, and historic preservation projects-- are the result of resident and community driven CPA proposals,” said Councilor Michael Flaherty, Chair of the Council's Community Preservation Committee. “I am so thankful for the vision and partnership of the many leaders that helped us get the ballot measure passed years ago and continue to be thankful for the partnership with Mayor Wu and the Community Preservation Committee. I am confident that the over $40 million allocation in CPA funds will allow for significant community-driven, transformational change in every corner of our neighborhoods and look forward to another exciting round of applications."
Including this funding round, the City of Boston has awarded over $157M to support 293 projects including 112 open space and recreation projects, 46 affordable housing projects, and 135 historic preservation projects since 2018. Mayor Wu previously announced some of these affordable housing projects as part of her investment of $67 million in new recommended funding to create and preserve more than 800 income-restricted units of housing in eight Boston neighborhoods.
The Community Preservation Fund was created following voters’ passage and adoption of the Community Preservation Act in November 2016. It is funded by a 1 percent property tax-based surcharge on residential and business property tax bills, which took effect in July 2017, and an annual state funding from the Massachusetts Community Preservation Trust Fund. The Mayor and Community Preservation Committee recommend funding use and the City Council must vote to approve.
“Under the leadership of Councilor Flaherty, the Boston CPC is thrilled the City Council approved these projects,” said Felicia Jacques, Chair of the Community Preservation Committee. “We recommended projects which respond to Mayor Wu’s commitment to advance innovative responses to historic resources, create varied housing solutions, and fund sustainable, climate conscious open spaces. In granting $40M in community resources, the largest funding since the CPA was implemented in Boston, the committee is proud to have supported these projects across the City.”
After the Committee's review of applications received for Community Preservation Act funding, the following projects were approved by the Council. The proposals include 10 affordable housing, 27 historic preservation and 19 open space and recreation projects across 15 neighborhoods.
Affordable Housing: 10 projects, totaling $20,491,834
$3,000,000 To partially fund the creation of 44 units of affordable homeownership housing. Homeownership units consist of (16) 1-bedroom units, (24) 2-bedroom units, and four 3-bedroom units. Half will be affordable at or below 80% AMI and half at or below 100% AMI.
Chinatown - Parcel R-1
$1,266,513 To partially fund the creation of 66 units of affordable rental housing. The rental units are (24) 1-BR units, (36) 2-BR units, and (6) 3-BR units. Rental units will range from 30% AMI to 80% AMI.
Jamaica Plain - 361 Centre Street
$3,000,000 To partially fund an adaptive reuse rental project utilizing the vacant (for 18 years) Blessed Sacrament Church at 361 Centre Street in the Hyde Square neighborhood. To transform this former religious building into 55 units of housing. Fifty affordable units ranging from 30-60% AMI.
Mattapan - Blue Hill Ave - B1 Parcels
$1,500,000 To partially fund the transformation of five vacant and underutilized City-owned parcels located along a stretch of Blue Hill Avenue that bisects the Dorchester and Mattapan neighborhoods. The proposed ownership unit mix of 80% and 100% AMI will include, (4) 1-bedroom units, eleven (11) 2-bedroom units, and three (3) 3-bedroom units. In addition, the project will provide seven (7) parking spaces, and approximately 1,792 square feet of ground floor retail space for sale at an affordable rate.
Mattapan - Blue Hill Ave - B1 Parcels
$1,306,591 To partially fund the transformation of five (5) vacant and underutilized City-owned parcels located along a stretch of Blue Hill Avenue that bisects the Dorchester and Mattapan neighborhoods. The proposed rental unit mix of 50%, 60%, 80% and 90% AMI will include five (5) 1-bedroom units, (5) 2-bedroom units, and (2) 3-bedroom units. In addition, the project includes approximately 1,591 square feet of ground floor retail space for lease at an affordable rate.
Mattapan - Brooke House at Olmsted Village
$2,500,000 To partially fund the new construction mixed-use building that will be approximately 152,700 sq ft. The six-story building will include 125 affordable senior rental apartments for households earning up to 60% of the AMI. The new apartments will be designated for households aged 62 and over. 13 units will be set aside for homeless or formerly homeless households. Additionally, this project will include a child care center, a health care center, and a publicly accessible community space.
Roxbury - Copeland Corner
$1,918,730 To partially fund the new production of 12 affordable homeownership units in Roxbury. The project would create six homeownership units available at or below 80 percent AMI and six homeownership units available at or below 100 percent AMI.
$1,500,000 To partially fund the creation of ownership units at the intersection of Warren Street and Warren Place in Nubian Square. The completed project will total approximately 106,212 gross sq ft with 15 income-restricted homeownership condominium units, (11) units at 80% AMI, and (4) units at 100% AMI.
Roxbury - 2085 Washington Street
$2,000,000 To partially fund the final phase of the redevelopment of Parcel (10), a
10-story tower on BPDA land. The development will include the new construction of 32 homeownership units. Homeownership units consist of eight 1-bedroom units and 24 2-bedroom units, with 15 units affordable at or below 80% AMI and 15 units affordable at or below 100% AMI.
South Boston - McDevitt Senior Homes
$2,500,000 To partially fund the repurposing of the 5-story McDevitt Hall building into 36 units of affordable senior rental housing. The project will include 35 units of affordable housing for people aged 62 and over, 19 of the units will be affordable to households at or below 50% AMI, and 16 units will be affordable to households at or below 30% AMI, including four homeless set-aside units. Originally a convent of the St. Augustine's Parish in South Boston, built in 1926, unique features will be preserved; front yard, entranceway, and 5th-floor solarium.
A full list of all projects can be found here.
