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Dear ,
The first few days of November will be an important time for CPA. We'll find out if, as expected, the state's FY14 budget surplus is sufficient to support a $25 million transfer to the CPA Trust Fund. Next up will be the results of the November 4th CPA elections, as eight communities vote on adopting CPA and two consider raising their surcharge. And last, but not least, the Department of Revenue will notify communities of their trust fund distribution amounts by November 15th. Read on for full details on these issues in this edition of
CPA Update.
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State Budget Surplus To Be Announced October 31st
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 The legislature is scheduled to take an important step toward closing the books on FY14 this week, as they act on the final supplemental spending bill for FY14. Once this occurs, the state can begin closing the books on FY14, and by early November we'll know if the budget surplus is sufficient to allow for $25 million to be deposited in the CPA Trust Fund. Projections are that the surplus will be sufficient, although the final determination won't be known until the end of the month.
If available, the $25 million will be added to the revenue from collections at the state's Registries of Deeds, and the entire balance will be distributed to CPA communities on November 15th. Unfortunately, collections at the Registries have been down dramatically recently. Over the last ten months, collections for CPA are down 27% as compared to the previous year, a reduction of $7 million. Despite the downturn in registry fees, if the $25 million from the budget surplus is available, communities will once again enjoy a robust match in November.
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Ballot Campaigns Rev Up as Election Approaches
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On November 4th, voters in six towns and two cities will decide if the Community Preservation Act is right for their community. CPA will appear on the ballot in Arlington, Berkley, Boxborough, Egremont, New Bedford, Newbury, Otis and Woburn. To view the details of each election, see the Coalition's Upcoming Adoption Elections page.
Two existing CPA communities will be voting on increasing their local CPA surcharge. Amherst voters will decide whether to back an increase from 1.5% to 3%, while residents in Essex will go to the ballot to vote on a 0.5% to 1.5% increase.
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When CPA Funds a Housing Trust, a Grant Agreement is a Must!
Coalition Publishes Sample Agreement for Housing Trust Appropriations
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 Appropriating CPA funds to a housing trust has become a popular way for Community Preservation Committees to help meet the housing needs of their community. As of the end of FY13, over $180 million of CPA generated or leveraged funds have been appropriated to Municipal Affordable Housing Trusts, other housing trusts and community development corporations.
If your Community Preservation Committee is considering appropriating funds to a housing trust or development corporation, we strongly urge that you consider having your legal counsel draft a grant agreement between the municipality (acting through the Selectmen, Mayor and/or Community Preservation Committee) and the housing trust or corporation.
Read on for more information, and to download a sample grant agreement that your community can use....
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Free North Shore Housing Workshops Continue
Next event scheduled for Wednesday, October 15th in Beverly
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 For many communities, creating or improving their affordable housing options can be confusing and difficult. To help you navigate and better understand how CPA can help, consider attending an upcoming session of the North Shore Regional Housing Forum.
To RSVP for Wednesday's session in Beverly, contact Shelly Goehring of MAHA at sgoehring@mahahome.org or (617) 822-9100.
The meetings are free, pizza and drinks will be served at each. To see information for all three upcoming sessions, click here.
Each session focuses on how community preservation committees, municipal affordable housing trusts, affordable housing committees, planning or zoning boards or the Housing Authority boards and work together to improve housing in their city or town. Members of Boards of Selectmen, City Councilors and municipal staff are also welcome to attend.Tours of affordable housing developments have been scheduled before each meeting to show you some of the housing already created on the North Shore and how it was financed.
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FEATURED PROJECT: Seekonk Preserves Valuable Farmland with Agricultural Preservation Restrictions
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 After passing CPA in the spring of 2009, the town of Seekonk did not waste any time putting their CPA dollars to good use. The town has appropriated CPA funds to place two Agricultural Preservation Restrictions (APRs) on sizable plots of farmland, and in doing so leveraged $888,000 from the Massachusetts Department of Agriculture.
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