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| CPA Update | October / November 2010 | |
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Greetings!
Just when you thought you'd seen all the election results, we have the surprising numbers from the five CPA races held yesterday. Read on for the results, and all the latest news on CPA...
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| CPA Wins Four of Five on Election Day | | |
Voters adopted the Community Preservation Act in four of the five communities on the ballot yesterday. Belmont, Gosnold, Middleborough and Sunderland all approved CPA, bringing the statewide total of CPA communities to 147 (42% of the municipalities in the Commonwealth). The greatest margin of victory came in tiny Gosnold, where the vote was 43 to 23 (65% approval), while Belmont's vote of 5,371 (yes) to 5,163 (no) was the tightest race (51% approval). The city of Marlborough also had a very close race, but CPA was defeated there by a margin of 52% to 48%.
For more election details, visit the History of CPA Votes page of our website. To view a map of all CPA communities, click here. |
| Two Upcoming CPA Events | | |
CPA Adoption Workshop:
Nov. 17, 2010
Please join the Community Preservation Coalition for a free workshop for communities in southeastern Massachusetts considering CPA adoption: Wednesday, Nov. 17th, 7-9pm at East Bridgewater High School Library,11 Plymouth Street.
New Date for CPA Spring Conference: April 2, 2011
Last month we sent out a save the date for our next CPA conference, to be held in spring 2011 at Bridgewater State College. We have since changed our previously scheduled date so as to avoid conflict with the American Planning Association's annual conference in Boston.
The new date for our spring conference is Saturday, April 2nd, 2011. Check the conference page of the Coalition's website for more information as the date approaches. We'll also include an annoucement in CPA Update when registration opens in January. |
The Most Important Rule for all CPA Housing Projects
Income limits apply to all CPA housing expenditures | | |
There is an important rule to keep in mind when approving CPA community housing projects: CPA funding must be spent solely on housing projects that fit the definition of "community housing." In general, this means that CPA funds can only be expended on housing projects that will serve residents who earn less than 100% of the established median income for your city or town.
Despite the 100% maximum threshold for CPA housing expenditures, some communities choose to target their CPA funds to housing projects that serve persons and families earning no more than 80 percent of the areawide median income. Why? Because housing made available to such low-income families qualifies for inclusion on the community's Subsidized Housing Inventory (SHI) with the state.
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Outstanding Legislator Awards
Presented to Senator Creem and Representative Kulik | |
In recognition of their unwavering support of the Community Preservation Act and their work on behalf of CPA in the current legislative session, the Coalition awarded Outstanding Legislator Awards to State Senator Cynthia Stone Creem and State Representative Stephen Kulik. Senator Creem and Representative Kulik are the primary sponsors of SB 90, An Act to Sustain Community Preservation. Since formal legislative sessions ended in July, no further progress will be made until the bill is refiled in January, 2011. However, we are very encouraged by SB 90's progress in 2010, and confident that the legislature can get it passed next year with another strong push from local advocates. For more information on CPA legislation, visit the Coalition's website. Photo above left (left to right): Senator Cynthia Stone Creem; Clarissa Rowe, Chair, Community Preservation Coalition Steering Committee; Bob Durand, former Massachusetts Secretary of Environmental Affairs, former State Senator, former State Representative, and original author of the Community Preservation Act. Photo above right (left to right): Representative Stephen Kulik; Rowe; Durand.
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| State Laws and CPA
Who to contact and where to look for information | |
 There are many state laws that intersect with the Community Preservation Act, and all of them are important to proper implementation of CPA. Common examples include the state's conflict of interest laws, procurement, open meetings, public records, municipal finance, and campaign finance. Each of these intersecting laws has state resources where you can call or email for guidance. Read on for the contact information for the various state agencies that oversee implementation of these laws. In some cases we also have provided links to Coalition newsletter articles that describe how CPA intersects with these laws. . . |
| Featured CPA Project: Herring Run Park, Weymouth | |
 Every spring, thousands of migratory herring swim from Boston Harbor up the Weymouth Back River on their way to Whitman's Pond. Herring spend most of their lives in the ocean, but return to fresh water once a year to spawn. On their way upstream, they pass through Jackson Square in Weymouth.
Featured in the newsletter banner and the in photo above is Jackson Square's new CPA-funded park -- Herring Run Pool Park -- celebrating the herring and providing a place to help town residents and visitors appreciate them each spring.
Read on for photos and more information on this project... |
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