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Greetings!
It never ceases to amaze us the number of ways in which CPA benefits the cities and towns that have adopted it. Some of these benefits are obvious, like the very visible historic rehabilitation work being done on Gloucester City Hall (pictured above), the focus of this issue's featured CPA project. But as Northampton found out, some benefits of CPA are less visible and very surprising. Read on for more on that story, and all the latest CPA news. |
| CPA a Major Factor in Northampton Bond Upgrade | |
CPA ha  s long been a benefit to municipalities across the Commonwealth, and in the case of Northampton, that benefit helped contribute to a two-step upgrade in their city bond rating, from A+ to Aa2. The November upgrade came just two weeks after voters rejected an attempt to revoke CPA in Northampton, with 70% of the electorate voting to keep the Act in place. This willingness of residents to pay for municipal programs, such as CPA, was one of the primary factors that Moody's Investors Services evaluated when considering the city's bond rating. And the upgrade will save the city money, not only on an upcoming CPA bond for a recreational project, but a bond for the city's new police station will cost less, too!
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A New Tool is Available for CPA Open Space Projects
BioMap 2 website shows core habitats for wildlife protection
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 If your community is interested in using CPA open space funds to protect important wildlife habitat areas, there is a new resource that can help you figure out which areas in town are priority for protection: BioMap2. Using the mapping tool at the BioMap2 website, municipalities can view the land areas that are critical for the long-term success of the Commonwealth's natural communities, and then target those areas for permanent protection.
Read on for more information on BioMap2...
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| Pro-Bono Legal Assistance for Non-Profits Applying for CPA Funding | |
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As non-profit organizations work on CPA projects, they often find a need for legal assistance. In these situations, your organization may qualify for free legal counsel! The Lawyers Clearinghouse has been providing pro bono legal assistance to Massachusetts non-profit organizations since 1988. The Clearinghouse matches volunteer lawyers with non-profit groups of varying types and sizes. To apply for assistance, or learn about their non-profit services, check out the website or contact Machiko Sano Hewitt at 617-778-1954 or msanohewitt@lawyersclearinghouse.org. |
FEATURED PROJECT: Gloucester City Hall
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Since 1871, Gloucester's City Hall has stood as the defining element of the city's skyline and civic life. Yet over time, deterioration of the building's exterior and the development of structural weaknesses began to threaten its continued use as the seat of local government. But thanks to $2.6M in CPA funding, its continued role in the city's life has been assured.
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