| Community Preservation Act Reform |
|
The Community Preservation Act (CPA) is a tool to help communities preserve open space and historic sites, and create affordable housing and recreational facilities. The Community Preservation Coalition is working to pass An Act to Sustain Community Preservation (SB 90), which will stabilize and strengthen CPA. Land Use Partnership Act / Community Preservation Act / Smart Growth Trust Fund / Surplus Land Disposition The former Governor of Massachusetts, Paul Celluci signed the Community Preservation Act (CPA) into law September in 2000. Voters must vote to adopt a CPA for their own municipality. Once passed, the CPA allows municipalities to add a property tax surcharge of up to 3 percent for the specific purpose of protecting their historic and environmental resources and providing more affordable housing. These funds are then matched by the state providing more incentive for the adoption of the CPA. State funds to pay communities with an adopted CPA come from a new fee at the registries of deeds. Municipalities must use 10 percent of their funds for the preservation or acquisition of each of the following: natural resources, affordable housing and historical resources. The remaining 70 percent can be divided in any way among these three initiatives. Local legislators appoint a committee to draft plans for the use of the funds and plans are open for comment and approval by the public. Over 75 communities have adopted the Community Preservation Act. |