Walsh proposes $24 million in CPA funding for affordable housing, open space, community projects

Mayor Martin J. Walsh is asking city councilors to dedicate the bulk of the money raised through the community preservation surcharge this year — about $16 million — to affordable housing.
“We’re in the middle of a housing crisis that requires bold and creative solutions,” Walsh said in a statement on Tuesday. “I’m proud that through this new round of funding, we are dedicating the majority of this funding round to affordable housing projects. All of these proposals will support our community in countless ways. We look forward to continuing to use this revenue to build on our work related to affordable housing, historic preservation and open space.”
Walsh’s recommendations would spread the Community Preservation Act money out across 40 projects that touch every city neighborhood. Of the $24 million in proposed grants, about $16 million would go to 10 different affordable housing projects, $4.2 million would be dedicated to creating and improving open space, $2.4 million would go toward historic preservation projects and $1.6 million would go to support community nonprofits.
Barbara Trevisan of Pine Street Inn said the grant money that comes from the CPA is “critical” to organizations like hers as they struggle to serve the city’s homeless and other vulnerable populations.
“There is never enough funding for these kinds of things and all money is extremely critical to ensuring that we can continue to work on the issue of homelessness,” Trevisan said.
Walsh has recommended giving $1.5 million to Pine Street Inn and the Community Builders to help pay for the construction of 202 affordable apartments planned at 3368 Washington St. The project included 156 apartments for formerly homeless households and will provide on-site access to resources for residents.
The remaining 85 units will be available to households earning between $78,240 and $82,720.
The project’s recommendations will be submitted to the Boston City Council for approval with an anticipated vote from the Council in the coming weeks.
Voters approved the Community Preservation Act — which puts a 1 percent surcharge on residential and business property tax bills — in a November 2016 referendum. As a result, the city created the Community Preservation Fund and formed a nine-member committee that makes recommendations to the mayor and City Council on projects to fund on an annual basis.
With this funding round, Boston will have awarded over $67 million to support projects in every neighborhood since its inception.
Source: Boston Herald